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2 • THE MUSIC • 22ND JANUARY 2014
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4 • THE MUSIC • 22ND JANUARY 2014
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themusic 22ND JANUARY 2014
“THERE’S A LOT MORE FEMALE BANDS HAPPENING AND THAT’S NOT THE EMPHASIS ANYMORE.”
#022
INSIDE FEATURES
The Cohen Brothers talk Inside Llewyn Davis
- JENNY LEE LINDBERG OF WARPAINT (P22)
Cults Spirit Of Akasha
web
Warpaint Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings KT Tunstall Autre Ne Veut Ken Stringfellow Sheppard Cass McCombs Mark Knight Tyrone Noonan
REVIEWS Album: Morning Of The Earth
HEAR TRACKS FROM XAVIER RUDD, POND, BUSBY MAROU AND MORE AS WE STREAM SELECTIONS FROM SPIRIT OF AKASHA AND MORNING OF THE EARTH. AT THEMUSIC.COM.AU
OUR SCRIBE IS AT THE TAMWORTH COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL, TRYING NOT TO GET BEATEN UP. READ ABOUT IT ON THEMUSIC.COM.AU
READ AN EXTENDED REVIEW AND SEE PLENTY OF SNAPS FROM THE GOLD COAST BIG DAY OUT. ON THEMUSIC.COM.AU
Live: Big Day Out Arts: Convict
THE GUIDE Cover: Sahara Beck Food/Drink Frontlash/Backlash Indie News Opinion Gig Guide The End: Festival Faux Pas
“THEY CAUGHT ME WHEN MY HAIR WAS FALLING OUT, WHEN I WENT TO THE BARBER SHOP AND GOT IT CUT OFF AND I’M CRYING; THEY GOT IT ALL…” - THE INSPIRATIONAL SHARON JONES DISCUSSES HER BATTLE WITH CANCER (P24)
feature “WE TEND TO LIKE CHARACTERS THAT HAVE A LOT OF ABUSE HEAPED ON THEM.”
- JOEL COEN TALKS INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS, THE COEN BROTHERS LATEST TRIUMPH (P17)
review 6 • THE MUSIC • 22ND JANUARY 2014
“THE SOUNDTRACK HAS COME TO BE HELD DEAR TO HIPPIES AND SURFERS OF A CERTAIN AGE, SO REMAKING IT WAS ALWAYS GOING TO HAVE TO GO SOMEWHERE NEW.” - READ LIZ GIUFFRE’S REVIEW OF MORNING OF THE EARTH REIMAGINED (P31)
THE MUSIC • 22ND JANUARY 2014 • 7
CREDITS PUBLISHER
Street Press Australia Pty Ltd
GROUP MANAGING EDITOR Andrew Mast
EDITOR Steve Bell
ASSISTANT EDITOR Benny Doyle
ARTS AND CULTURE EDITOR Cassandra Fumi
MUSO EDITOR Michael Smith
GIG GUIDE EDITOR Justine Lynch gigs@themusic.com.au
CONTRIBUTORS Amorina Fitzgerald-Hood, Anthony Carew, Baz McAlister, Ben Preece, Benny Doyle, Bradley Armstrong, Brendan Telford, Carley Hall, Chris Yates, Cyclone, Dan Condon, Daniel Johnson, Dave Drayton, Grace Wilson, Guy Davis, Helen Stringer, Jake Sun, Jazmine O’Sullivan, Lochlan Watt, Madeleine Laing, Mandy McAlister, Matt O’Neill, Mitch Knox, Sam Hobson, Sky Kirkham, Tessa Fox, Tom Hersey, Tony McMahon, Tyler McLoughlan
THIS WEEK THINGS TO DO THIS WEEK • 22 JANUARY - 28 JANUARY 2014
PHOTOGRAPHERS Dave Kan, Freya Lamont, John Stubbs, John Taylor, Kane Hibberd, Markus Ravik, Rick Clifford, Sky Kirkham, Stephen Booth, Tessa Fox, Terry Soo
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ART DIRECTOR Nicholas Hopkins
ART DEPT Brendon Wellwood, David Di Cristoforo, Eamon Stewart, Julian De Bono
ADMIN AND ACCOUNTS
English folk need to have a good laugh every now and then – what with the weather and the Ashes and everything – which is why so many great comedians emerge from their ranks. One standout is Jimmy Carr, who this week hits our shores for the first time armed with his recent show, Gagging Order. Whether working clean or blue he’s invariably hilarious, so catch Carr when he hits Brisbane City Hall this Wednesday and Thursday.
Paul McDermott is bringing his macabre knack for dissecting the grim side of the human experience to the stage with his new show The Dark Garden. Set against a backdrop of his own paintings, the production features a slew of original songs delivered with an acerbic dose of banter and digression – it all happens at Brisbane Powerhouse this Friday and Saturday night from 7.30pm. Get ready to indulge your dark side!
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BRISBANE
It’s our annual national day on Sunday – happy Australia Day y’all! – and what better way to mark the occasion than getting a good ol’ dose of our national pastime, rock’n’roll? Eatons Hill Hotel have put on a killer line-up of homegrown talent, featuring Hoodoo Gurus, pictured, You Am I, Busby Marou, Jebediah, Good Oak and Nat Dunn, and it’s an all ages affair which kicks off at 12.30pm and goes all day long. Be parochial and be pummeled by Oz rock – double win!
celebrate
online
Reddit may be the biggest boys’ club on the web. It may also be the home of a ‘clean’ (read: non-existent) layout. But more importantly, it’s created this new form of interviewing, where average joes can question the likes of Jerry Seinfeld, Sir David Attenborough or the man with two dicks (you don’t want to see the photos). Yep, there’s been some ripper AMA (Ask Me Anything) sessions lately, and noise-poppers Sleigh Bells will soon be added to the list. Here’s hoping they use the platform to announce some Aussie shows.
listen
watch
It’s just received a Golden Globe, taking out the Best Foreign Film category at last week’s awards, and now we too can get swept up in the hedonistic sparkle and despair of The Great Beauty. Set amongst the imposing city of Rome, this Italian language film is a feast for the senses, shining a light on the life and lost love of 65-year-old Jep Gambardella (played to perfection by Toni Servillo) while capturing all the colours and curves of one of the world’s great city. Treat yourself – it’s in cinemas tomorrow (23 Jan).
This Friday you can finally get your hands on Transgender Dysphoria Blues, the new full-length from Florida punks Against Me!. Almost two years since Laura Jane Grace (formerly Tom Gabel) announced she was transgender, this album captures the sea of emotions that have come from the transition process, with Grace’s spitfire lyrics telling a journey of discovery, belief and love. It’s released in Australia through Resist Records.
awards
The Grammy Awards may be tacky, but they’re also the only place you can see Daft Punk perform for the first time since the release of 2013’s Random Access Memories. On Monday you can watch the whole thing live on Foxtel. At 8am there’s the red carpet special on E!, followed by the live broadcast on FOX8. It’s hosted by LL Cool J, and features performances from Kendrick Lamar, pictured, Imagine Dragons and Pink, plus more. Watch it and let us know whether or not our writers’ (and our readers’) picks for the year 2013 were correct. THE MUSIC 22ND JANUARY 2014 • 9
national news news@themusic.com.au RICHIE SAMBORA
themusic presents
BIG SCARY
FINAL ACTS DRIFT DOWN THE PANAMA
SOUNDWAVE 3.0
Former Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora leads the new names added to the 2014 Soundwave festival, with the axe maestro heading up the third announcement. Also on the bill are ‘90s industrial crew Filter, locals I Killed The Prom Queen, as well as The Ghost Inside, Authority Zero, Darkc3ll, The Defiled and The Dangerkids. Dates are happening right around the country in February and March – hit The Guide at theMusic.com.au for all the details.
KISSED BY A ROSE
After capturing the country’s imagination with her bubbly track The Good Life, Elizabeth Rose is hitting the road to launch her self-titled second EP. Experience the electro-pop magic of the Sydney producer when she plays 28 Feb, Manning Bar, Sydney; 1 Mar, Secret Garden Festival, Camden; 7 Mar, Bleach*, SoundLounge, Gold Coast; 8 Mar, Alhambra Lounge, Brisbane; 13 Mar, University Of Wollongong; 15 Mar, Northcote Social Club; 4 Apr, King Street Hotel, Newcastle; 11 Apr, Amplifier, Perth; 12 Apr, Mojos Bar, Fremantle.
Already featuring the likes of Charles Bradley, Husky and Super Wild Horses, A Festival Called Panama – the new boutique all ages music and arts event taking place down in Tasmania’s secluded north-east – is overjoyed to give you the final instalment of acts that will perform across the two days, 8 – 9 Mar. Big Scary (pictured) and Twerps head up the names on this final announcement, with Ainslie Wills, Karl S. Williams, Spender, Tom Cooney and Timothy & Wilderness also locked in to make weekend one to remember. Proudly presented by The Music.
CASPIAN
WIN TEN LARGE THANKS WASH YOURSELF CLEAN After his eyes were opened by the music of TO HILLTOP HOODS! Bjork, a young Will Wiesenfeld got acquainted Calling all budding hip hop and soul artists, applications are now open for the 2014 Hilltop Hoods (HTH) Initiative, a prize which comes with a $10,000 payday for the lucky recipient thanks to the Adelaide MCs and APRA. Open to any artist or group that has not released an album professionally, the money will ideally help you release a debut record, while the prize pack also includes professional legal advice, Zoo York and Shure Microphone prize packs. To be in the running, simply head to the Hilltop Hoods or APRA website, with entries closing on 25 Feb and the winner announced 27 Mar.
with a variety of instruments – guitar, viola, contra bass – doing so while refining his production and mixing styles, his ambition, to create something ambient, alive and beautiful. The end result was Baths, the electro-pop moniker the Californian native is now revered for, and with his rapturously received second record, Obsidian, still fresh, Wiesenfeld will showcase the release in full band mode in a couple of months’ time, playing 20 Mar, Alhambra Lounge, Brisbane; 21 Mar, Oxford Art Factory, Sydney; 22 Mar, Corner Hotel, Melbourne; and 23 Mar, The Bakery, Perth.
“I HAVEN’T BEEN DRINKING LATELY. I AM GOING TO SPEND THIS WHOLE TRIP DRUNK. STARTING WITH A BUNCH OF BLOODY MARYS” SO, @MACMILLER’S BDO SETS WILL BE MEMORABLE FOR US AT LEAST. 10 • THE MUSIC • 22ND JANUARY 2014
TIME FOR EXPLORATION
The Music is excited to be presenting Caspian on their first ever Australian tour. Lauded among post-rock lovers for their instrumental epics, they come presenting their astonishing third record which is soon to be given an Australian release, Walking Season, but will no doubt dip into the catalogue further, and perhaps road-test a few new tracks, too. Supported by Meniscus, the two bands play 19 Mar, Bald Faced Stag, Sydney; 20 Mar, The Tempo Hotel, Brisbane; 21 Mar, Evelyn Hotel, Melbourne; and 22 Mar, Mojos Bar, Fremantle.
YOU’VE BEEN WARNED
After putting hip hop heads on notice last year when he supported A$AP Rocky, the mob’s second most notorious name, A$AP Ferg, will be heading Down Under for his first full headline tour. Trap Lord was a top ten hit in America and found its way onto plenty of end-of-year polls this side of the pond, showing Ferg’s versatility on the microphone. The 25-year-old Harlem native performs the following dates: 2 Apr, Corner Hotel, Melbourne; 3 Apr, The Hi-Fi, Brisbane; 4 Apr, Metro Theatre, Sydney; and 5 Apr, The Bakery, Perth.
LIVE AT
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THE TEMPO HOTEL 388 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley. 18+ ID Required. Management reserve the right to refuse entry.
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JONSON STREET BYRON BAY FRI 24 JAN
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CHASE CITY, PRO VITA, LUNATICS ON POGOSTICKS SUN 2 FEB
KING PARROT, HAVOC FRI 7 FEB
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TIJUANA CARTEL THURS 13 MAR
JON CLEARY & THE MONSTER MEN 14 & 15 MAR
THE SUNNYBOYS 21 MAR
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TICKETS AVAILABLE ONLINE THE MUSIC â&#x20AC;¢ 22ND JANUARY 2014 â&#x20AC;¢ 11
local news qld.news@themusic.com.au BANDITO FOLK
STAR WARS TRIVIA
USE THE FORCE
You turned your brain to ‘Doh’ with their Simpsons trivia and cried for ‘Serenity now!’ during the Seinfeld edition. Now, Man Vs Bear trivia is back at Black Bear Lodge and giving you a chance to save the universe – or at the very least enjoy some midweek glory and drink specials – with their Star Wars trivia edition. Presented by Nick Banner, all questions will be answered on 11 Feb from 7pm. Register now and guarantee your team’s spot by heading to info@manvsbeartrivia.
THEIR OWN MEN
Local strummers Bandito Folk have ambled into the new year with a video for latest single Don’t Wanna Be Like You, a highlight from recent EP The Embankment, and they’re going to celebrate the work with their first show for 2014 at Black Bear Lodge, Thursday night. Adding to the occasion will be grand rock’n’roll types Drawn From Bees, not to mention the solo sounds of Dollar Bar bloke Dale Peachey. Get your tickets now via Oztix.
PAYNTING THE SKY
Fresh off tour dates with Aussie rock legends Icehouse, Michael Paynter is set to headline at Black Bear Lodge, 12 Feb, the prolific songwriter bringing his power-pop rock to the fore in celebration of forthcoming release, Weary Stars, which is set to land on 31 Jan. Having been on the road for the previous seven years, Paynter enthuses that he can’t wait for people to hear “the sweat, the tears, the failures, the wonderful experiences, the trial and the victories put into 12 great songs”. Be a part of the evening – purchase your ticket through Oztix for $18.
CHECKING IN ONCE MORE Following the postponement of their 2013 tour that was scheduled for October, Martha Davis & The Motels are set to thank all their loyal fans in style, with the Californian group – fresh from performing at iconic LA venue Whiskey A Go Go’s 50th anniversary – capping off their Australian run of dates at New Globe Theatre, 19 Mar. Head to Tombowler for tickets, with special meet and greet VIP packs also available.
GLISTENING ROCK
Brisbane blues favourites Transvaal Diamond Syndicate get a bit edgy and agitated if they’re away from the stage longer than a week; that’s why the trio are returning to their natural habitat of the road, bringing with them loud blues-rock in large servings. But these dates carry a bit more gravitas, with the group excited to finally be launching their long-awaited debut album, full of four years’ worth of blood, sweat and beers. Catch them at Lennox Hotel, Lennox Head, 7 Mar and as a part of Mojo Burning Festival, New Globe Theatre, 15 Mar.
Full of fire and fury, alt-rock trio Postblue are gearing up to release their debut fulllength I Hope They’re Praying For Me – partly inspired by a series of strange religious dreams guitarist/vocalist Riley McEvoy endured – and they’ve just been announced as the main support on the upcoming Luca Brasi tour. They join the Taswegians at Crowbar, 22 Mar and The Lab, 23 Mar (all ages).
LOOKING FORWARDS, LOOKING BACK
Written during and inspired by recent travels, Scattered Reflections is the fourth record from Melbourne songwriter Lior, an album that sees the 38-year-old finding more freedom with his craft and joy in his music. Hear these gorgeous tracks for the very first time when Lior performs with full-band on 6 Mar, Old Museum.
LEAVE IT TO THE LADIES Visiting our city for one weekend next month, The Dames are making their time north count, playing Queen Street Mall 21 Feb from 5pm and 22 Feb from noon, before heading to the Brisbane Powerhouse for a Sunday session, 23 Feb from 3pm. The duo – made up of Coral Snakes player Clare Moore and Kaye Louise Patterson – have just put a record together of “west coast sci-fi pop”, whatever that means. We’re sure it’s class though, so get along!
“WELL JUSTIN BIEBER CERTAINLY ISN’T RETIRING FROM BEING AN ASSHOLE” WHY RETIRE WHEN YOU’RE AT THE TOP OF YOUR GAME JOSH HARA [@YOYOHA]? 12 • THE MUSIC • 22ND JANUARY 2014
CULT FOLLOWING
SKREAM
SKREAMADELICA
One-third of British titans Magnetic Man and one of the forefathers of dubstep as we know it, Skream is a legendary geezer, and returns to Australia for a run of headline club dates. Currently dabbling with a whole heap of new sounds – disco included – Oliver ‘Skream’ Jones will be bringing the noise of south London to the forefront when he plays Bowler Bar, 21 Feb.
MONDAY 27 JANUARY
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TUESDAY 28 JANUARY
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THE MUSIC • 22ND JANUARY 2014 • 13
local news qld.news@themusic.com.au
BERTIE PAGE CLINIC
THE CAT’S MEOW
We’re not trying to be crude, but we’ve got it on good word that Miss Bertie Page loves her pussies, and now the burlesque queen and her Bertie Page Clinic cohorts are showing that love on the stage with their revamped show, Pussy Love. Catch the group – fresh from touring the world in 2013 – when they perform at New Globe Theatre, 15 Feb, in a warm-up set to their Mardi Gras shows. Also on the bill are smooth blues group Switchblade Suzie, as well as the sultry Lulu & The Cutthroats.
LOSING TEETH
Canuck punks GrimSkunk are hitting our shores this week for the third time. Catch them tonight (22 Jan) for free at Ric’s Bar with Skinwalkers; Thursday, Surfers Paradise Beer Garden; Friday, Tatts Hotel, Lismore with Skinwalkers, Lighters Are Fluid and Knuckle Children; Saturday, Commercial Hotel, Nambour with Skinwalkers Hotel Escobar, The Seal Club and Gumby Foot; and Sunday, Prince Of Wales Hotel, Nundah.
JOSS STONE
VARIED FLAVOURS ON SIXTH BLUESFEST ANNOUNCEMENT
A true reflection of the festival itself, more great names from Australia and overseas have been announced on the bill for Bluesfest 2014. New additions include Joss Stone; Joe Camilleri & The Black Sorrows; Chain; Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience; Dyson, Stringer & Cloher; The Beards; Glenn Cardier & The Sideshow; Nahko & Medicine For The People; Public Opinion Afro Orchestra; Cambodian Space Project; and Matthew Curry, joining the likes of Jack Johnson, Elvis Costello & The Imposters, Erykah Badu and plenty more. Happening over the Easter long weekend, 17 – 21 Apr, tickets are still on sale through the event website.
BUCKLE UP!
Ministry Of Sound are excited to launch their Clubbers Guide To 2014 with the help of the two gents behind the two-disc mix, Ember and Joel Fletcher. The producers play a run of shows, together and solo, happening 7 Feb, Eatons Hill Hotel, Brisbane; 15 Feb, Platinum, Gold Coast*; and 21 Mar, The Met, Brisbane (*Joel Fletcher only).
“THE VACUUM CLEANER IS MY CAT’S VIETNAM”
CHARLIE EVERYWHERE, ESPECIALLY KUMAIL NANJIANI’S [@KUMAILN] LOUNGE.
DOG DAY WEEKEND STRUNG OUT
STILL SWINGING
There is no rest for the Hits & Pits crew with Hits & Pits Round 3 set to enter the ring later this year with a monster bill of punk rock-heroes, consisting of So-Cal legends Strung Out and Face To Face, NYC fighters The Casualties, as well as Ten Foot Pole, Death By Stereo, Big D & The Kids Table, Masked Intruder and Heartsounds. The tour kicks off in our parts 9 May, The Hi-Fi, before heading south 10 May, The Northern, Byron Bay. Get your tickets now through Oztix. 14 • THE MUSIC • 22ND JANUARY 2014
Step Inn is dead, long live The Underdog Pub! Brisbane’s newest live music venue, found on the familiar corner of Brunswick Street and St Pauls Terrace, is back with all the things we love about Aussie pubs: affordable drinks, hearty grub, good tunes. Things look set to kick off on Australia Day weekend with a series of wild nights. Indie-rock fans can get a set from Keep On Dancin’s and Canon on Friday, while a vintage rave up of the highest order is taking place Saturday with electro party monsters Zoku Onsomb. Then if you’ve survived through all that, head back on Sunday for an afternoon session featuring Mouthguard, Outrage, Plan Of Attack, Shandy, Wilful Damage and Sick People, with the Bovver Rock Discotheque then kicking off from 7pm.
REMI GETS SOME EXPERIENCE ON BOARD
After taking out triple j’s coveted Unearthed Artist Of The Year award for 2013, REMi is taking that momentum out on the road to show off his new single Livin, and to give a little taster of his forthcoming debut album. Now, the Melbourne hip hop lad has just informed us that he’s pulled the formidable skills of N’fa Jones onto the bill, a fellow member of The House Of Beige Family who also has also got a single to promote in the way of Money Better Come. The guys hit Coniston Lane, 7 Feb, and we’ve also got a double pass to the show to give away. Simply head to theMusic.com.au, click on the ‘Win’ tab and you and a friend could be at the gig!
BRISBANE’S PREMIER ENTERTAINMENT AND FUNCTION VENUE
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16 • THE MUSIC • 22ND JANUARY 2014
film
O’ BROTHERS, WHERE ART THOU? Words Sarah Braybrooke. Photos supplied by Roadshow.
JOEL AND ETHAN COEN
THE MUSIC 22ND JANUARY 2014 • 17
Ethan and Joel Coen are more interested in characters that “keep getting dumped on”, they tell Sarah Braybrooke.
“W
e tend to like characters that have a lot of abuse heaped on them.” Peering out from a winged armchair at a hotel in Soho, Joel Coen confirms something that fans of the Coen Brothers’ work have long known. In a laconic drawl, Joel explains, “You can’t help yourself. When you sit down and start writing a story you imagine characters. There are certain kinds of characters that you are interested in, or that just end up coming out and ending up on the page... and [Llewyn Davis is] a character who just keeps getting dumped on, for the whole movie.” The Coen brothers’ latest film, Inside Llewyn Davis, follows a week in the life of a folk singer in 1960s New York. Davis, played by Oscar Isaac, does a few gigs, sleeps on acquaintances’ Greenwich Village sofas, and tries to get a break. His more successful friends look on, among them Justin Timberlake looking more beardy and earnest than you’ve ever seen him before, and Carey Mulligan as Davis’s very pissed-off ex.
OSCAR ISAAC AS LLEWYN DAVIS
Throw in a road trip with a folk-music-hating jazzbo played by John Goodman and Garrett Hedlund as the world’s least friendly beatnik, and it’s fair to say that we are not catching Davis on a good week. Or possibly a good year. Rigidly trying to keep his integrity while those around him tell him to sell out or give up, Davis’s world looks more absurd by the minute. Their protagonist may suck at it, but combining artistic originality and commercial success seems to come naturally to the Coen brothers. Trailing awards, their expansive filmography includes cult classics like Fargo, The Big Lebowski and O Brother, Where Art Thou? alongside a host of crime capers, screwball romances and other experiments in genre. Oh yeah, and Inside Llewyn Davis has already won the Grand Prix at Cannes and received rave reviews. Casting the lead actor turned out to be more challenging than the brothers expected, Ethan says. “It was awful! We started by seeing musicians, because we knew we wanted to sit down and watch somebody credibly and entertainingly perform a song. So we saw a bunch of musicians who were really interesting. We’d audition them doing a song, and then they’d do a scene, and that was always... deflating.” Both the brothers laugh, and Ethan deadpans, “Then we realised: what did we expect? We’d been doing this for 30 years, and actors, you know, they are actually very useful. So we started seeing actors, and Oscar just came in towards 18 • THE MUSIC • 22ND JANUARY 2014
CULT SONGS Getting the music of Inside Llewyn Davis right was at the top of the Coens’ priorities. For the film they returned to the creative partnership with T-Bone Burnett which resulted in the best-selling, Grammy-winning soundtrack to O Brother, Where Art Thou?. A major difference this time was that they were intent on letting the songs play out in full, Joel says. “It was important in the sense that we were trying to make a movie about a musician, and we thought if you are making a movie about a musician you don’t want to just hear him strum a few chords and sing a few words.” They also filmed every song live. In O Brother... they got around the problem of finding an actor who could sing by dubbing George Clooney’s voice – a move which turned out to be more successful than they anticipated, Joel says: “A very, very famous musician – I’m not going to say who – saw the movie, and said to T-Bone: ‘That George Clooney... Man, he’s got everything. He’s good-looking, he’s a good actor, and he can sing!’ And this was from an offthe-chart very well known musician. So, I guess [dubbing] does work. ” Ethan thinks for a moment. “Everyone else in O Brother... sang their own stuff... except for the guy under the Ku Klux Klan hood.” Reflecting on the difficulty of casting Llewyn Davis, Joel says, “That’s actually the way to do it... put hoods on everyone.”
the end. Or, in fact, the end of the audition process, because it ended with him. And fortunately for us, he was great at both. If we hadn’t [found Isaac] we’d have been screwed. But we blithely assumed that we would find the person, and, as it happened, we did.” Many critics have singled out Isaac’s performance for special praise. As well as acting, Isaac has to perform a number of entire songs direct to camera, and much of the plot hangs on these being credible. T-Bone Burnett, the film’s executive music producer – who has made music with everyone from Elton John to Bob Dylan – says of Isaac: “I cannot think of a precedent in the history of civilisation for this performance.” So, that’d be quite good, then. Which raises the question: if the music is that good, why isn’t Davis more successful? Joel explains, “Here’s the way we looked at it: it was very important to us that people not think that the reason he wasn’t making it was because he wasn’t good. We wanted to make a movie about someone where the reason he wasn’t making it had to do with reasons other than the fact he wasn’t good. Because everybody knows very talented people who aren’t necessarily successful. And that’s more interesting to us.”
CAREY MULLIGAN AS JEAN
Ethan, longer of hair and more animated than his brother, puts this in context: “Maybe in some sense [Davis] deserved to be doing better, or having more recognition, but there’s also the fact that he’s never going to achieve success at a certain level that people aren’t even aware of in this world, which is represented by the character who shows up at the end of the movie. I mean, there’s success, and then there’s success. He’s never going to have – or doesn’t even aspire to...” Joel seamlessly completes his sentence: “...the success which is represented by the Dylan character at the end, who shows up. He’s never going to be that guy.” The film is set in 1961, a time when folk music hadn’t made an impact on the charts and the music Davis performs would have been deeply unfashionable. Ethan says, “People kind of know the Dylan folk era. But there was something right before that, a much smaller scene before anybody knew about it, before Bob Dylan showed up... We were just interested in the music of that period, as opposed to the more familiar music that came afterwards.” It was a time when the social movements which came to define the era were forming. Ethan sums up the scene: “Generally the folkies had contempt for the beatniks, and the beatniks had contempt for the folkies, and everyone had contempt for the squares, and contempt for the bluegrassers. Everybody had a cause. They were all kind of crusading in a way. More so than now.” He thinks about it and takes a U-turn. “Nah, not more so than now, [but] in a different way than now.”
OSCAR ISAAC AS LLEWYN DAVIS, JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE AS JIM AND ADAM DRIVER AS AL CODY
“EVERYBODY KNOWS VERY TALENTED PEOPLE WHO AREN’T NECESSARILY SUCCESSFUL. AND THAT’S MORE INTERESTING TO US.”
OSCAR ISAAC AS LLEWYN DAVIS
CAREY MULLIGAN AS JEAN & JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE AS JIM
WHAT: Inside Llewyn Davis In cinemas
OSCAR ISAAC AS LLEWYN DAVIS
THE MUSIC 22ND JANUARY 2014 • 19
music
NOT SO STATIC New York-based pop duo Cults have just released their much anticipated sophomore album Static. Annabel Maclean chats with partners-incrime Brian Oblivion and Madeline Follin about the record, Atlanta strip clubs and why Hurricane Sandy was one of the most fun experiences Oblivion has had in recent memory.
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fter Cults released their self-titled debut record in 2011, the indie-pop duo headed off touring for a year-and-a-half straight. Following the long stint of touring and the joint decision to end their personal relationship and focus solely on being together for the purpose of their work, Oblivion and Follin had a well deserved break. The duo then embarked on the recording mission for their recently released second record Static. But, the rehearsal process wasn’t without its hiccups, with the duo’s practice space flooded due to Hurricane Sandy last year. “We’ve always been really good at letting things go and seeing the positive in things,” Oblivion says. “Even when the hurricane had happened, we knew that our practice space had flooded and we were depressed for like three hours and then we realised ‘we’re in the city with no power, like how crazy is this?’ and we got in a car and there were no stop lights so we were driving down the road, we’d never have got to do that if that hadn’t have happened. So the Hurricane Sandy experience in general was one of the most fun weeks I’ve had in recent memory.” The duo worked alongside Shane Stoneback (Sleigh Bells, Vampire Weekend) and Ben Allen (Animal Collective) to produce Static. “I was actually just at Shane’s [Stoneback] studio five minutes ago,” Oblivion says. “Shane is like my best friend in the world. I spend way too much time at the studio with him fluffing around with weird gear when we’re not working.” “Working with him was a dream,” Oblivion says. “It was just good to hang out, just a bunch of friends making music. We tried for the first time to have a different person – Ben Allen – mix the record which was a good decision because mixing is such a difficult process and there’s so many decisions that have to get made, sometimes it’s nice to work with a stranger because they won’t be so sensitive about everything and you feel pressure to be professional and to get things done.” Oblivion and Follin even went up to Atlanta to do the mixing and vocals from Allen’s studio and they came back with more than just a studio experience. “Ben Allen’s wife was going to have a kid any day while we 20 • THE MUSIC • 22ND JANUARY 2014
were recording with him,” Oblivion begins to explain. “She actually had her kid on the last day of mixing so the last song was mixed with the assistant at the studio. Ben wasn’t there. We took him to his last strip club experience ever – he said once he had a kid, he couldn’t do it anymore.
you live in an apartment in a big city and you’re going to bars… these days I live alone in Chinatown and Madeline lives in the East Village. I think New York is much more meditative now.” Static is a more rhythmic and live-sounding record compared to the duo’s debut. “Drums is the only instrument that I don’t play on the record so I became obsessed with them,” Oblivion says. “If you look at the credits, there’s like four different drummers on this record. The last record being made on our laptops and being electronic, it was very to the note - every beat hit exactly when you expected it to. With this one, there’s
“AUSTRALIA IS OUR FAVOURITE PLACE IN THE WORLD.” Atlanta strip clubs are insane, people throw thousands of dollars.” Static is inspired by the duo’s experiences living in New York opposed to their home of California, a stand-out affair for the duo. “It’s been so different,” Oblivion says. “When we first moved out here, we moved out to go to college. Going to college in New York is definitely not like the normal college experience because
more life happening. There’s mess-ups that we left in and I find that so much more endearing.” And, from a lyrical point of view, Follin says her writing was much the same as it was on their debut record. “It was exciting for me to think about how all of the songs would translate live,” she says. “I think the songs that we write for our show, we have to be having as much fun as the audience.” Although the duo both agree Static won’t see them touring for a year-and-a-half straight again, they will be visiting Down Under soon. “I’m not sure what we can say about it but I can tell you that we are coming to Australia in April and it’s the thing we’re looking forward to most over the next year,” Oblivion confirms. “Australia is our favourite place in the world.” WHAT: Static (Sony)
CAPTURING THE SPIRIT
film
How do you take on a project you think might be sacrilege? Andrew Kidman tells Dan Condon about making Spirit Of Akasha, while Kye Fitzgerald says it captured him at his peak.
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972’s Morning Of The Earth isn’t just a surf film, it’s a vital piece of Australian art that speaks of a relationship between the Australian surf culture, rock’n’roll and mother nature, a hallowed film for surfers around the globe with a soundtrack considered to be one of the great records of its era. So, when its creator Alby Falzon asked fellow surf filmmaker Andrew Kidman to make something of a follow-up piece, Kidman was not keen. “It wasn’t my idea,” he says firmly. “When they first asked me to do it, I didn’t want to do it. I just didn’t think you could do it, I thought it would be sacrilege, but Alby thought it might be worth exploring what a modern day take on it might be.” Eventually Kidman’s arm was twisted enough to take on the task and Spirit Of Akasha, a film exploring the concept of akasha – an idea relating to aether that’s essence is simple but unbelievably complex to explain – was born. “I started thinking about it and had a few different ideas I put forward to Warner – I wasn’t gonna do it unless I could do it how I wanted to – and they were really happy with what I was putting forth,” Kidman continues. “It’s hard when you’re working with big record companies; you’re never really sure which way they’re gonna push you but all they did was help facilitate it and make it as good as it could be. People say that’s a rare thing, but that’s my only experience with them and it was a really good experience – they let me and Alby do whatever we wanted and then helped us bring it to where it got to.” Music was an enormous part of this project. The likes of Brian Wilson, Pond, Xavier Rudd and Kidman’s own The Windy Hills wrote songs for the project, with many of them then turning around and recording a cover of a MOTE track for a separate reimagined version of that iconic soundtrack. “Rarely do you get to work with music like that, especially when it’s made for the film,” Kidman says. Sydney Festival attendees will get to see plenty of the score performed live at the Sydney Opera House. “It’s a pretty remarkable project to pull that many artists together and make a soundtrack like that. Not only did all the artists submit original songs, they
also covered the original soundtrack. I think that just shows how revered the original movie was.” Kidman has nothing but praise for the way the musicians involved interacted with both the film and his suggestions. “I pretty much talked to all of the artists about
approached to be a part of Spirit Of Akasha, Fitzgerald had no qualms. “I was feeling like I was reaching a peak in a lot of ways,” he explains. “I’d been focusing on my single fin surfing for close to a decade and was starting to feel I was taking it as far as I could’ve. I know how influential this movie’s going to be and to be a part of it makes me feel like I’m reaching the top of the mountain as far as my single fin surfing goes.” The spirit that runs through MOTE captivated Fitzgerald as a young man. “The pure spirit that it has, it really resonated with me,” he says. “It really captures
“I WASN’T GONNA DO IT UNLESS I COULD DO IT HOW I WANTED TO.” what we wanted and then we went back and forth customising stuff. They would send stuff through and we would listen to it and suggest things they might be able to do to tune it more to suit the film – it was a pretty involved process.” Kye Fitzgerald is of good pedigree; his father Terry is a legendary shaper, master of the single fin and all things Indonesia, and his brother Joel is a kick-arse surfer in his own right. When
that kind of freedom and escapism that surfing is about. It still inspires so many people young and old – it’s amazing how it crosses so many demographics. It was made with a certain amount of purity.” When being filmed for something like Spirit Of Akasha, Fitzgerald says there’s no such thing as stage fright. If there was, he says, the footage would suffer. “I have a lot of confidence in my surfing and what I’m doing; some will like it and some won’t – so what? How is that gonna help you surf the way you want to surf? And that’s not what Andrew and [surf photographer] Jon Frank are looking for, they’re looking for the way you surf every day. Whether it’s a stormy day or a perfect day, it’s not always about perfection, even though we’re all striving for that in our surfing, it’s about letting go and just surfing.” WHAT: Spirit Of Akasha (Warner) THE MUSIC 22ND JANUARY 2014 • 21
music
THE ART OF NOISE Even though Andy Hazel resists the urge to ask Jenny Lee Lindberg what it’s like to be in all-girl band Warpaint, she mishears a questions and addresses the issue anyway: “There’s a lot more female bands happening and that’s not the emphasis anymore.”
“I
t usually takes a few listens for people to really get it,” says a chipper Jenny Lee Lindberg, bassist with LA quartet Warpaint about her band’s new, eponymous album. “It’s got a lot going on,” she adds. Since bursting into the consciousness of anyone who pays attention to online music sites or radio with their 2010 debut The Fool, or its predecessor EP Exquisite Corpse in 2008, Warpaint have been getting love from far and wide. Comprising childhood besties Emily Kokal and Theresa Wayman, Lindberg and Sydney drummer Stella Mozgawa, the bassist points out that their closeness as friends is almost like a marriage. “We fell in love,” she says plainly. “We’d lived in LA for the same amount of time when we met and, even though our upbringing was different – they grew up in a small, hippy town and I grew up in a small, white, trashy town – we had a lot in common.” While Lindberg doesn’t think that growing up in Nevada bestowed her with any tangible benefits, she says moving to LA from a small town sets you apart from the locals. “Even though I grew up in Reno I have a free-spirited nature, so we weren’t too far off the grid from each other. We’re all intuitive and instinctive when it comes to, say, sizing someone up. We’re pretty savvy!” she laughs. Warpaint is an album infused with collective savvy-ness that’s redolent in heavy dub atmospheres, drifting vocal melodies and acute attention to detail. While being wholly the band’s creation, the album was coaxed into existence by a dream team of collaborators: superstar producers Flood and Nigel Godrich; and Chris Cunningham handling the art and photography. “It was an all-star team,” she admits. “Fuck, I don’t know how we managed to pull any of that off. I guess I’d just say we’re lucky. Nigel Godrich didn’t approach us and say, ‘Can I please mix your songs?’ We were having trouble mixing the last two songs so, to get a mix that we thought was representative of how the songs should sound, we just asked him. We were stoked! It’s not like we had a plan A and plan B, but we did definitely think about it and said, ‘Let’s see what our options are’. “I guess to put it simply: if we plan to do something it never comes out that way. Our writing process is full
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of happy accidents. The creative process is never planned with us; we didn’t make a conscious decision when we were writing songs to do anything. We wanted to make it more minimal and a little darker and more sexy – those were the three things we were aiming for.’
Kokal’s boyfriend John Frusciante (Red Hot Chili Peppers) produced their first EP, Heath Ledger was an early fan and Lindberg’s sister (the band’s previous drummer) is actress Shannyn Sossamon (A Knight’s Tale, The Rules Of Attraction). So what does Lindberg think about the media’s focus shifting away from the famous names to the band’s music? “There’s a lot more female bands happening and that’s not the emphasis anymore,” she says calmly, ignoring the question. “There were a lot of people writing about how we’re good for being girls, when we can be grosser and gnarlier than a lot of dudes can. There are
“WE CAN BE GROSSER AND GNARLIER THAN A LOT OF DUDES CAN.” One song oozing with all of the aforementioned qualities is the overtly danceable Disco//Very, a song you can expect to hear a lot this summer. “I love all of the songs, but I guess I love Disco//Very because it’s so different from other things we’ve done, and another track called Biggy. After we finished recording that song, we felt so proud of ourselves.” When Warpaint first began to appear in press, the focus was very much on the people around them.
definitely feminine aspects to our music, but there are masculine aspects. When people ask questions about what it’s like to be a female musician, I just ignore it.” What Lindberg is keen to talk about is band dynamics, an area she describes as being both the most interesting, and boring, aspect of Warpaint. “Sometimes we overcommunicate and someone has to say, ‘Okay, let’s shut up and play,’ and other times it’s why we are so drawn to each other and why we’re still a band. I think being together for ten years, that history gives us power with each other because we’ve been through so much together. We’ve made it this far and there’s no turning back. We have put this much time and effort into it, so let’s take it as far as it goes. And we’re not there yet.” WHAT: Warpaint (Rough Trade/Remote Control) WHEN & WHERE: 31 Jan, Laneway Festival, RNA Showgrounds
THE MUSIC • 22ND JANUARY 2014 • 23
music
FOR THE PEOPLE Sharon Jones opens up to Dan Condon about her fierce battle with cancer and why she’s scared of returning to the stage.
I
t’s December 23 when we get Sharon Jones on the phone, but it’s safe to say this might not be the most pleasant Christmas for the 57-yearold soul singer. While a new record from her group Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, Give The People What They Want, is ready for release, she sits in a medical centre in upstate New York awaiting her penultimate chemotherapy treatment. “Next Tuesday, New Year’s Eve, that’s my final treatment,” she says stoically. Early last year the music world was saddened to hear the incredible Jones had been struck down by bile duct cancer, a condition that would require intense treatment and, as such, would set back the long-awaited new record. While she laments the loss of her hair and nails and the changing of her body, Jones isn’t going to hide; the band has shows booked from February and as long as she’s physically capable of being onstage, Jones will be there. “I want the fans to see what I’m going through,” she says. “This is the first time I’ve been off the stage for so long; this is the longest I’ve ever been down and out. So I’m ready to get back out there, even though physically right now I’m not ready. I don’t want to wait until my hair grows back, until I look like [I used to] – I just want to get back out there. Once my body gets strong enough then that’s what I wanna do.” There’s no false bravado here; Jones makes it clear she is scared. “It’s scary, it’s a little nerve-wracking. I haven’t performed in such a long time and I’m weak and not able to work out and build my muscles and lungs back up; but I’ll be able to do that after the 31st. I will start singing probably next week, and then get back on the treadmill – running and singing and getting the air back in my lungs.” While her return to the stage is not far away, she’s maintaining patience and focusing on becoming well before worrying herself too much with her music. “I have to let one thing go. I can’t concentrate on my music when I’m sick and taking this medicine and feeling how I feel. But once this medicine is out of me and my body starts coming back then I can concentrate on my music. They took my gallbladder out, the head of my pancreas
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is gone, a foot and a half of my small intestine…” The usually highly energetic, sharply dressed Jones is conscious she’ll be returning without some trademarks of her onstage appearance, another scary thought. “For one thing me not having hair… it’s part of my character and part of
in a similar situation. “Cabin Creek Films are doing a documentary on me – VH1 is behind it – they’ve been following me for the last few months. They’re gonna be filming my last chemo treatment on New Year’s Eve and after the Beacon [the Dap Kings return to New York’s Beacon Theatre in early February] show they’re going to try and get the film out during the [US] summer. “They caught me when my hair was falling out, when I went to the barber shop and got it cut off and I’m crying; they got it all… There’s so much stuff they’ve got of me so I have no idea how they’re gonna portray it. I’ve gotta leave it up to them now.”
“I WANT THE FANS TO SEE WHAT I’M GOING THROUGH.” what I do on stage. And my dresses; I’m starting out this year without those. I’m a little nervous, I have to admit. I’m very nervous. But in my heart and my faith, I believe God has blessed me and gotten me through this and I don’t think he’s gonna leave me now. I don’t know what’s gonna happen until I get out there and do it.” A documentary film crew have been following Jones through the year as she’s battled with the cancer and she’s hoping she can give strength to those
It’s all in the interest of keeping her fans and those in a similar situation aware of what she’s going through. “That’s why I chose not to hide out for a-yearand-a-half and then when I come back people are like ‘look at her, she doesn’t look like she was sick’ – I’m just not that kind of person.” The band are adored by Australian audiences and Jones promises that Australia is already on her calendar as a tour destination in 2014. “Oh shoot yeah, we got you man!” she exclaims when asked. “We’re gonna be coming out there in Fall – it’s right here in my calendar – it’ll be our summer or your fall or something like that. You’re definitely in the calendar.” WHAT: Give The People What They Want (Daptone/Shock)
BEAT CLINIC
music
A master’s degree in psychology was always Arthur Ashin (aka Autre Ne Veut)’s plan B. “If I could get paid a modest amount to perpetually produce music I would probably be the happiest I could be,” he tells Andy Hazel.
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rthur Ashin, stage name Autre Ne Veut, speaks like a clinical psychologist, which he was, until recently, intent on being. Throwing in the academic world for that of bedroom electro R&B was not a move he took lightly. “In the clinical psychology framework of the American academic world, you’re not meant to do other things, as this shows you’re not dedicated to being a serious clinician,” he says curtly. The weight of this decision informs his acclaimed debut album Anxiety. However, he has no such feelings about his forthcoming Australian shows. “For some reason I’m optimistic about Australian audiences,” he says warmly. “It’s not based on any logical assumption. I saw Flume play the other month and there were mostly Australians in the audience, so if I get a fraction of the psych he got, I’ll be stoked.” This balance of euphoria and exposed internal pressures is a way of life for Ashin. Having released several EPs anonymously (“I wanted to avoid Google searches of my name – music disseminates online much faster than a journal byline” he explains), Ashin’s commitment to a musical calling has thrust him into the international limelight. With a Best New Music prop from Pitchfork and countless blogs already calling Anxiety one of the albums of the year, Ashin finds himself explaining the line between authorship and catharsis. “I think of songs and production as being able to be worked with and against each other,” he says quickly. “They’re not detailed personal accounts; they’re not examples of anxiety. Play By Play is a six-minute meditation on jealousy, which is not to say I’m perpetually jealous. It’s not about one moment of jealousy; it’s just a mediation on the idea for me. It plays on the idea of a populist trope in music, but also has a potential to be socially anxiety-producing, in the way that Hollywood film perpetuates the same scenes and ideas over and over again: how to be a hero and what constitutes the idea of heroic behaviour. These superimposed, top-down ideas are so deep-seated that when we seat them next to our carnal desires or id-expressions there’s this inherent dissonance between these two things, or societal expectations. The production ideas I use are informed by the broader ideas of society, capitalism and media on which [I’m] superimposing
norms so, yeah! [Anxiety] is both personal and a societal creation.” Listening to Anxiety is an overwhelmingly positive experience. Far from psychological offloading, Ashin is mainly concerned with beats, textures and subverting the overt physicality of R&B into something just
and have a half-arsed conversation about plan B to keep my academic brain rolling to a passable degree.” Ashin’s proclivity to anxiety has surprising positives when it comes to touring. “I have the benefit of having a massive amount of stage fright, which creates stress and adrenaline rush. So maybe I’m playing the same shit every night, but I’m still scared to do the same thing. I have a lot of visceral action in my body while performing, so it’s not as mundane as it might be for a braver, more bored individual,” he shares. Many listeners have pointed out how ‘80s-influenced his music sounds though, as Ashin points out, this is
“MAKING RECORDS IS NOT JUST CATHARTIC, YOU GET TO CURATE YOURSELF AND YOU DECIDE WHAT ASPECT OF YOUR CATHARSIS TRANSLATES WELL.” as powerful, but more cerebral than sexual. “I was on a life path,” he explains by way of outlining his methods. “I was doing my plan B 100%. Making records is not just cathartic, you get to curate yourself and you decide what aspect of your catharsis translates well. If I could get paid a modest amount to perpetually produce music I would probably be the happiest I could be. Once in a while I would go to some sort of intellectual salon
far from intentional. “I was born in the front end of the ‘80s and there are musical aspects that are deeply embedded in me,” he muses, “and I guess that comes through on this record. I have never tried to make ‘80s music, but what I do love about the ‘80s is the idea of the popular avant-gardists, people like Peter Gabriel, David Byrne, Annie Lennox. They were simultaneously engaged in ideas that pushed against the very foundations they were helping to create and I find that so compelling. I’ll never sit down to make an ‘80s-sounding song or album, never, but when I’m trying to create a Dr Luke-style gated synth and it ends up sounding more 1987 than 2007, that’s okay [laughs].” WHEN & WHERE: 31 Jan, Laneway Festival, RNA Showgrounds THE MUSIC 22ND JANUARY 2014 • 25
music
THE MUSIC MAN Insatiable musician Ken Stringfellow explains to Steve Bell that stepping away from bands for his solo career allowed him to embrace (for the better) not giving a fuck.
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t’s completely and utterly fair to suggest that US singer-songwriter Ken Stringfellow lives and breathes music. You probably know him best through his power-pop outfit The Posies, who he’s co-fronted with Jon Auer since the mid-‘80s, or perhaps from his lengthy stint touring and recording with latter-era REM. Maybe it was his stretch playing bass in the second incarnation of legendary Memphis rockers Big Star which caught your eye. Crap, he even spent a while playing guitar with skate punks Lagwagon at the end of last millennium, amongst a vast and disparate catalogue of musical diversions. But while his current Australian sojourn is chiefly to partake in the orchestral recreation of Big Star’s Third/ Sister Lovers album for the Sydney Festival, he’s taking the opportunity while out here to reintroduce us to his excellent solo canon, by far the most underrated component of his fascinating musical voyage to date. “The weird thing is that I sort of put less faith in [my solo fare] because I assumed people would gravitate towards the more marquee-worthy names like REM and Big Star, and even The Posies to some degree,” Stringfellow reflects. “I could list 15 things in front of my solo records that people would be much more familiar with – but that’s also my fault, because I didn’t have the confidence in the past to put the complete faith in my solo work. “But to be honest, from an artistic point of view it’s the thing I’ve had the most control over in a way – or we could say ‘the most hand in’, every band is a form of democracy whether that’s intended or not; it’s at least a compromise – but my solo work is very uncompromised, and I realised putting out the latest one [2012’s Danzig In The Moonlight], ‘Hey, this is where my focus should be!’ The other stuff will take care of itself, and for me [the solo material] paints a much clearer picture of who I am as an artist. If you wanted to get to know me as an artist and figure out what I’m all about, the solo records are the things I’d start with – the other stuff is where I’m like a particular atom in a larger molecule, but here I am the total substance presented,” he laughs. “If that makes sense.”
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Stringfellow attests that he doesn’t invoke a vastly different mindset when writing solo material than he does when composing for other projects, although the solo realm does allow his flair for improvisation to rise to the surface. “There’s more spontaneity with what I do as a solo
overdubs and wrote the lyrics – but that was it, I didn’t come into the studio with that song even as a demo. “My whole first album [1997’s This Sounds Like Goodbye] was an act of improvisation, where I had to record and write the song in the same go – I couldn’t change anything or fix anything, I had to just stick with it. That kind of freedom is less possible in other projects where people are less willing to go into that – that adventurism is really only happening in my solo records which is why I think it’s the strongest work. It’s got the most chances and the most ‘not giving a fuck’ vibe.”
“IT’S GOT THE MOST CHANCES AND THE MOST ‘NOT GIVING A FUCK’ VIBE.” artist – a lot of the songs, despite the fact that they sound rather composed, are really off the cuff,” he admits. “For example there’s a song from [2004 solo album] Soft Commands called Death Of A City, and I was in the studio recording the album and I was out of songs so I was, like, ‘Hey I need to write another song. Okay, give me a track in five minutes’, and I played this piano part and within ten minutes we had this song written and recorded with the basic track – and then I did a few
While Stringfellow may be visiting in his solo guise he’s sharing bills with former The dB’s mainstay Chris Stamey, which is sure to liven things up. “My solo show is sort of idiosyncratic so I’m not sure how much Chris will play with me, but Chris welcomes and thrives on accompaniment so I’m sure to join him for at least some of his set, and then I’m sure things will begin to flow back and forth,” Stringfellow smiles. “I don’t think we’ve done a double bill – not properly – but I’ve known his music well forever. Chris didn’t really know my stuff until we started doing these shows together, and then he was, like, ‘Oh wow, there’s a whole thing here that I was missing that’s really cool!’ But you know how it goes – there’s only so many hours in the day to get familiar with the billions of hours of music out there.” WHAT: I Never Said I’d Make It Easy (Lojinx/Planet) WHEN & WHERE: 30 Jan, Black Bear Lodge
THAT’S LIFE
For an album that followed the death of KT Tunstall’s father and her marriage breakdown, which both occurred within the space of a few months, the singersongwriter marvels to Kate Kingsmill: “It didn’t even come out as a horribly depressing piece of work.”
K
T Tunstall was surprised to emerge from one of the toughest years of her life with the best album she reckons she’s ever made. “The whole thing was very unexpected from the very beginning. I wasn’t even planning on making a record,” says the Scottish singer-songwriter. “It was just that I’d met Howe Gelb from Giant Sand in February of last year, and Howe said to me, ‘Come out to Arizona and let’s do some recording’. That really was what it was. I didn’t go out
there thinking, ‘Right! I’m going to make an album’.” In fact at that point, she didn’t even have any material, but in the two months between meeting Gelb and visiting him in Tucson, Tunstall wrote the nine songs that comprise the distinct first half of what ended up being Invisible Empire // Crescent Moon, one of the most critically acclaimed albums of her career. She spent ten freeing days recording in Tuscon – that was in April 2012. Over the next few months Tunstall’s life turned upside down completely. During one Northern summer, her father
died and her marriage broke up. She returned to Arizona “almost a different person”, relieved to be returning to the peace of the desert. “The desert out there is an incredibly meditative, restorative, peaceful place and I took a lot of solace from that. I really enjoyed the landscape, it didn’t require anything from me. You can just be out there very easily.”
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Looking back to that difficult time, Tunstall is glad to have something to show for it. “What made me eternally grateful about being a musician was that these massive tectonic shifts in your life that provide you with massive amounts of chaos, and force you to change whether you want to or not – I was just so grateful that something solid came out of it. I still find it baffling that at the end of one of the craziest and most difficult years of my life I have an album that I made. And not only was it very healing to make, it didn’t even come out as a horribly depressing piece of work.” And performing the songs has been okay too, she says: “What’s been really good about it is basically lots of the songs on the album are just acknowledging that human beings go through shit, and everybody goes through shit. It’s one of the things that I wish us as human beings were better at is realising that sense of loneliness is just so misguided because there’s probably 25 million people on the planet going through almost exactly the same thing as you whenever you’re going through it. The overwhelming feeling about sharing these songs is to just try and activate that connection with people. This record is about what happens to humans through life. ” WHEN & WHERE: 19 – 20 Apr, Bluesfest, Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm; 30 Apr, The Zoo
THE MUSIC • 22ND JANUARY 2014 • 27
music
COUNTING SHEEP
Last year Brisbane-based sextet Sheppard experienced a meteoric rise to fame following the release of their single Let Me Down Easy. Frontman George Sheppard tells Jazmine O’Sullivan that it didn’t really happen overnight.
A
t a glance, the harmony-driven pop-rock group Sheppard looked to be one of our biggest overnight success stories, with their single Let Me Down Easy earning platinum status in Australia. However, as most musicians would know, a lot of hard work came before the success. “It’s really tough to break into the Australian music scene,” relays frontman George Sheppard. “Triple j does a great job of breaking new artists, but for a pop band
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I think it’s particularly difficult because you can’t get onto commercial radio without having a hit, and you can’t have a hit without being on commercial radio.” When they didn’t receive the recognition they were hoping for in the early stages, Sheppard explains, “We went on a trip around the world and played to a bunch of different cultures, and we found there was some resonance along the way, particularly in Portland. They were the first city to put us on commercial radio – that was a huge deal. Then we came back and shared our story with Australia, and everything fell into place after that.”
The group’s initial leap of faith has since been rewarded tenfold, which Sheppard still finds amazing. “Recently we got to perform at Suncorp Stadium, and it felt like a dream! We were in the middle of a field and you couldn’t make out anyone’s face so it didn’t feel like you were performing to anyone, but there were 30,000 people watching and it was being televised – it was unreal.” The group’s success aligns with the current resurgence of positive and uplifting messages and genres within the music scene, which Sheppard believes is because, “Everyone likes a happy song. A lot of music in the last decade has been sort of melancholy, and it’s all got it’s place, but I like being happy, and I’m sure other people do too, so yeah, happy music is making a comeback,” he laughs. Looking forward, the group are set to keep their momentum going. They’ve had the honour of being invited to play this year’s SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas, as well as MUSEXPO in Los Angeles, and to top it off, their debut album is set for release later this year, which Sheppard couldn’t be more thrilled about. “We recorded a lot of the songs at the same time as Let Me Down Easy,” Sheppard explains, “so they’re very much in that same sort of world, but a few of them we’ve been able to write in the last couple of months so it’s going to be interesting to see the contrast, and to see if people can tell the difference between the older ones, and the ones we wrote after we did a bit of touring and maturing. I’m really keen to show it to people.” WHAT: Hold My Tongue (Chugg Entertainment) WHEN & WHERE: 24 Jan, Great Australian Bites, Cultural Forecourt
RELUCTANT ROCKSTAR
Enigmatic American craftsman of songs Cass McCombs cuts the crap and makes it clear to Tyler McLoughlan that there is no method, to anything.
“A
ustralia, it was illuminating I guess,” Cass McCombs talks from a snow-covered New Jersey about his first visit in 2012. “[There were] a lot of things I didn’t know about – a lot of bad things, a lot of good things. I didn’t realise how racist Australia was. I also didn’t realise how beautiful it was so the good with the bad I suppose.” Through long pauses and a deadpan voice, the notoriously reluctant interviewee who first became known with the release of his Not The Way EP in 2002 shares his opinion on creating music. “There’s conscious decisions that are made… like song order – it’s kind of like a setlist, like when you make a setlist for a show. You’re just pullin’ songs out of the air – there’s somewhat of a random order that happens. The clock is ticking, you know you have to make a decision and you just make one; there’s no thought. Just any decision is the same as the next, and any artist who says any different is a liar. Decisions are completely random,” he declares. “… Decisions in music are like pencil; there’s like an eraser on the other side – you can always change it. You have to try on the clothes to see if they fit… Often it doesn’t fit right, that’s why I take so long to do anything.”
Though he sees it as a drawn-out process, McCombs has been quite prolific over the past decade. Big Wheel And Others is a double record, his seventh longplayer released 28 • THE MUSIC • 22ND JANUARY 2014
in October, which is steeped in the mythology of The West and filled with an eclectic range of folk, blues, jazz, jams, rock and that charming poetic lyricism. He doesn’t know why he decided on the lengthy format. “I don’t remember, you know. I really mean this, there’s no logic in this – there really is no logic. There’s no reason and there’s no thought behind anything that anyone does, much less a record. We were just recording for years… and as soon as we knew it we turned around and there was a bunch of songs. The record company and the band and myself all threw out what we wanted to do with it and poof, there it was in the world…”
McCombs’ unwillingness to play the rockstar is strangely alluring. He isn’t even very interested in showcasing Big Wheel And Others on his Australian tour. “I don’t really put a lot of thought into the album. We’re a touring band; maybe other bands place an emphasis on the record because they want to show the commodity but that’s not really ever been our bag. We’re just a team, you know – album comes, album goes; it’s not anything to put a lot of anxiety into... I release the record, some people I respect said they liked the record. Well then they’ve always had respect, that’s why we’re friends! To me, nothing has changed – it’s all good, it’s all suffering, all the time. Nothing ever changes – it’s the same.” WHAT: Big Wheel And Others (Domino/EMI) WHEN & WHERE: 31 Jan, Laneway Festival, RNA Showgrounds
NEW NOONAN
After a lengthy stint overseas, Brisbane’s Tyrone Noonan has his feet firmly planted in Australian soils once more, and is ready to dazzle audiences with his brand-spanking new style. He gives Jazmine O’Sullivan the lowdown.
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s you find yourself listening to the tracks of Tyrone Noonan’s forthcoming mini-album I’m A Believer you may feel as though you are experiencing a touch of deja vu, however, fear not, it’s intentional. Showcasing his flair for DJing and electronic music, I’m A Believer gives the tracks of his debut full-length album of 2011, I Believe, a fresh sound through remixing and reworking. Reflecting on the decision to reinvent the album, Noonan confesses, “A lot of people really liked [I Believe], but
when it was released it didn’t seem like there was going to be much hope for radio play. It’s a timeless record, it doesn’t really sit in one particular time period, but in making this new album, I was given the opportunity to reinterpret the songs in a contemporary style and setting. I also wanted to prove to myself that those songs would work in this format, which I think they have. I’ve also always had an interest in electronic music,” he continues, “I’ve been a DJ for almost as long as I’ve been a musician, so it was also a chance for me to explore that side of myself with my own music.”
While you’ll definitely hear echoes of the past in I’m A Believer, Noonan is excited to present tracks that take on whole new identities. “There’s a track [on the album] called All That You Need, which keeps the same jungle-flavoured tempo and melody, but it’s been completely re-harmonised, and all the chords are completely different – it sounds amazing. Richard Padron – who is this Cuban guy who helped me with the record and is an incredible jazz, rock and classical guitarist and producer as well – completely changed the whole harmonic structure of the song, while also making it a really wicked drum‘n’bass kind of remix.”
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With the songs taking on new life in the studio, Noonan has also enlisted a new band to help him realise his new direction. “My guitarist was in my band in New York, he came over to Brisbane shortly after I did. Then my keyboardist has always played with synths, and for years my drummer has been working with both live drums and electronic percussion, so we’re working together to incorporate a lot of the sounds and samples to kind of come up with a kind of hybrid sound on stage.” While a record release and tour would be enough to keep anyone busy, Noonan reveals he’s also got a lot more on his plate, “I’ve got a release to piece together with my band from New York and some new tracks that I want to record with my band here. I’ve also been keeping busy by doing some movie soundtrack work as well, which is fantastic and a lot of fun. Then I’ve got another project which I can’t really say much about at the moment, but things are coming together for that quite nicely and you can expect to hear more about it soon.” WHAT: I’m A Believer (MGM) WHEN & WHERE: 24 Jan, The Zoo
KNIGHT RIDER
music
House stalwart Mark Knight is taking on EDM’s biggest names in his own way, Cyclone discovers.
B
rit DJ/producer Mark Knight is one of the most influential figures in house music. So why is he so restless as to be staging a dramatic post-EDM reinvention? Knight, who typically plays anything from deep to techy grooves, may provide a clue when he finally returns Down Under this month. “I’m bringing a very specific sound to what I do – it’s quite unique,” Knight starts. “I think [dance] music has become so polarised of late. You’ve either got people who are really EDM or really super underground. I fit completely in the middle of that and carve my own niche in terms of what I do musically.” The Londoner has branded himself with his Toolroom Records, a Beatport bestseller – he’s even issued music from big names like deadmau5. Toolroom celebrated its tenth anniversary in 2013. Then the DJ has his Toolroom Knights event company – and “upfront” radio show. Such strategic marketing might be antithetical to the original allure of underground house but, in a “corporate” dance culture, it’s necessary, he says. Knight shares his studio skills. He’s co-produced Faithless and, together with D Ramirez, teamed with Underworld, first on the ‘versus’ Downpipe and later on the group’s Barking LP. Knight is credited, too, on The Black Eyed Peas’ single Rock That Body off their Australian number one The END. Still, he’s better known for his own vast output, entailing collaborations
and remixes. Last year Knight not only relished a club hit in Your Love, but also released Ten with Dutch progmeister Sander van Doorn and, again, Underworld. Next Knight intends to yield a long-touted debut ‘artist’ album, possibly entitled Life At 33,000 Feet. “I’ve spent the last ten years really working on singles and I feel it’s time to kind of expand that and give myself a new challenge – and that’ll be the focus of 2014.” Knight has a clear vision for it, sparked by his exchanges with Underworld. “The idea of this album is to turn it into a live show.” Indeed, that would allow him to bring his “big stadium house records” to more festivals since, being
neither an EDM nor “super underground” dance type, he currently exists “in no man’s land”. Or, rather, Knight is a scene unto himself. It’s curious that the Ibiza institution should discern a new division in dance as the EDM crowd is far from purist. And many old-timers who scoff at the ‘EDM’ tag are benefitting from it. “Richie Hawtin is as commercial as David Guetta in his own sense,” Knight asserts. “They just play different styles of music.” Knight continues to diversify. “Probably a lot of people wouldn’t know – [but] I do actually do quite a lot of pop music,” Knight divulges, citing co-writes like Calvin Harris’ Drinking From The Bottle and Icona Pop’s Girlfriend. “It’s something I generally don’t shout a lot about… It sort of goes against what I stand for on a kinda grassroots music level, but I find it very easy to do and I enjoy it. It’s just another challenge musically.” WHEN & WHERE: 24 Jan, The Met THE MUSIC 22ND JANUARY 2014 • 29
30 • THE MUSIC • 22ND JANUARY 2014
reviews
This week we continue watching Girls as Hannah turns 25, Against Me! grapple with some
ALBUM OF THE WEEK
big subjects and BDO visitors The Algorithm deliver a terrifying mix of chiptune and metal.
★★★★
TRACK LISTING ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK 1. Morning of the Earth G Wayne Thomas 2. I’ll Be Alright Terry Hannagan 3. First Things First Tamam Shud 4. Sure Feels Good Brian Cadd 5. Awake Ticket 6. Getting Back G Wayne Thomas 7. Open Up Your Heart G Wayne Thomas 8. Dream Chant Ticket 9. Simple Ben John J Francis 10. Bali Waters Tamam Shud 11. Making It On Your Own Brian Cadd 12. Ullawatu Peter Howe 13. Day Comes G Wayne Thomas 14. Sea The Swells Tamam Shud 15. I’m Alive Peter Howe 16. Come With Me Brian Cadd
REIMAGINED 1. Morning Of The Earth Mick Turner & The Xlyouris Ensemble ft Oliver Mann 2. I’ll Be Alright Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy & The Cairo Gang 3. First Things First Matt Corby 4. Sure Feels Good Tom Curren 5. Awake Goons Of Doom 6. Getting Back Busby Marou 7. Open Up Your Heart Jack River 8. Dream Chant The Sand Pebbles 9. Simple Ben Machine Translations 10. Bali Waters Pond 11. Making It On Your Own The Autumn Defense 12. Uluwatu Blake Mills 13. Day Comes Xavier Rudd 14. Sea The Swells Andrew Kidman & The Windy Hills 15. I’m Alive Andrew VanWyngarden 16. Come With Me Andrew Kidman
VARIOUS
Morning Of The Earth Complete Original Soundtrack And Reimagined Warner Forty-odd years ago Australia helped invent the surf movie, and most importantly, the surf movie soundtrack. Morning Of The Earth (directed by Albert Falzon) was dominated by the sounds of producer/musician G Wayne Thomas, with a prog-by-the-sea sound which was infamously known as a type of romantic (if not fantastic) sonic ode to the then stillemerging local surf culture. The soundtrack has come to be held dear to hippies and surfers of a certain age, so remaking it was always going to have to go somewhere new. This “reimagining” of the cult classic has been paired with a reissue of the soundtrack itself, all in one double-CD set. The change is contemporary surf sounds that are now more relaxed and varied, so that the epic title track entrusted to Mick Turner and the Xylouris Ensemble (with Oliver Mann on vox) is less echoey than the original, now more diverse and meandering. Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy’s I’ll Be Alright sounds like a comfortable low tide, while Matt Corby’s First Thing First takes the track back to the beach bar with a slightly bluesinspired take on the original. Busby Marou’s Getting Back is also well worth getting sand in your cossie for. The original’s big single Open Up Your Heart is given a lovely lightness and androgyny by Jack River, while it seems Sand Pebbles couldn’t resist getting just a bit of original ‘70s in with Dream Chant. Also well worth it is Machine Translations’ Simple Ben; just sweet and easy in its approach. Liz Giuffre THE MUSIC 22ND JANUARY 2014 • 31
album reviews
THE LAWRENCE ARMS
AGAINST ME! Transgender Dysphoria Blues Total Treble/Resist
Metropole
Epitaph/Warner There’s been a void in the punk scene with The Lawrence Arms remaining relatively quiet over the past eight years. We’ve only seen one EP – ‘09’s Buttsweat And Tears – so Metropole, their Epitaph debut, is a sound for sore ears. Remarkably, the Chicagobased three-piece have managed to return with a release that kicks off right where ‘06’s Oh! Calcutta! left things. That’s not to say Metropole doesn’t bring anything new or interesting to the table. There seems to be a more natural flow between the instrumentation of co-lead vocalists Brendan Kelly (bass) and Chris McCaughan (guitar), which may be attributed to their separation over recent years. Where in the past Kelly’s vocals were fuelled by a gritty aggression, Metropole sees him take a step back to deliver in a more husky tone. A reduction
★★★★ in angst isn’t all bad, though, as with this new level of control comes more emotion, as evident in Seventeener (17th And 37th). McCaughan’s songwriting, lyrics, vocals and guitar work remain relatively the same, which will be relieving for those who enjoy the consistency of his previous works. This record could use a few more numbers such as the short, sweet and blunt Drunk Tweets, but other than that it’s a healthy blend of Kelly and McCaughan. Metropole sounds like a reunion between three close friends who want nothing more than to share what they’ve learnt over the past eight years. And this reunion isn’t going to disappoint anyone. Daniel Cribb
VARIOUS
32 • THE MUSIC • 22ND JANUARY 2014
hot button cause du jour. As far as concept albums go, Transgender Dysphoria Blues isn’t interested in subtly disguising its message in metaphors and symbolism. It’s a story and an issue very important to frontwoman Laura Jane Grace (formerly Tom Gabel) for obvious reasons. Against Me! never let the weight of this subject overwhelm the musicality. Transgender Dysphoria Blues rides the thin line between deep emotion and infectious punk-rock hooks. And it’s this precarious balance that makes it legitimately exciting in a way that studio gloss too often polishes away. Pete Laurie
Polymorphic Code
Warner
Andrew Kidman and The Windy Hills bring this album in with To Be Young – listen to this track through a good set of speakers for a wonderful experience when the bass comes in, gently sliding up to its opening chord (yes, chord) and kicking the song into full swing. Starcrossed Lonely Sailor is the next gem on the soundtrack, performed by the
With Drinking With The Jocks, Against Me! get louder and messier than the rest of the album, and they’re more interesting for it. While a title like Osama Bin Laden As The Crucified Christ sounds like it’d be more at home scribbled in the back of a 15-year-old’s school notebook, the song is thankfully as good as its title is terrible. Things change gear in Dear Friend and it’s refreshing to hear punk-rock be so unashamedly sentimental and sincere, without all the fist-shaking at the current,
★★★★
THE ALGORITHM
Spirit Of Akasha Soundtrack When it comes to surfing movie soundtracks, there’s some stiff competition out there. Well, when Dark Side Of The Moon in its entirety has been featured as the companion music to a film of this ilk, you know, as music director, you have a big job to step up to. Spirit Of Akasha measures up nicely in this sense. Featuring Pond, Angus Stone, supergroup Atoms For Peace, Matt Corby and Xavier Rudd among others, the album is track after track a consistently great listen, and certainly seems like it would be a brilliantly suitable soundtrack.
The press release for Transgender Dysphoria Blues calls it “insightful and highly-provocative… grappling with gender dysphoria, the loss of a young friend and pure self-discovery”. While such a heavy imputation might suggest a certain level of vulnerability, Against Me! attack with a confident stomp and swagger from the opening, title track. And it really is impossible to resist.
Roadrunner/Warner
★★★ Chris Robinson Brotherhood. Reminiscent of Humble Pie or The Allman Brothers with the Black Crowes frontman’s own spin, the song is transformational and experiential. Immediately following is Matt Corby, with disarming brilliance and worldly sonic ventures in What The Devil Has Made, while Corsaire provide the titular piece, one of sweeping orchestral and ethereal instrumental experimentation, and ominously reverberated vocals. The track builds and builds until cymbals and drums come crashing down around you and finishes with ostinato piano that stays with you long after the song has fallen silent. Lukas Murphy
Genre-defying French outfit The Algorithm sounds like it was created in a lab in the late ‘90s, using the discarded parts of metal and electronica, with the result violently breaking free and tearing through the polite, sheltered environs of the new millennium’s indie scene with bloodthirsty glee. Their new LP Polymorphic Code is a total animal. It clearly doesn’t give a fuck what you’ve enjoyed listening to previously or why you’ve decided to give it a spin now. It’s undeniably gaudy yet strangely sophisticated… and it’s a bit terrifying. But it’s also pretty good. It grinds together chopped-up speedcore riffs, epic trance chords, dub, some saxophone, drum and bass, vocal samples and found sounds, and all the spatters of glittering chiptune debris on the walls makes it seem like a horribly violent digital crime
★★★ ½ scene. It’s completely unrelenting and it will make even dude-bros high on frat-step shake their heads in disbelief. It’s a machine gun wielded by a conductor. It’s a dance party being held in a nuclear submarine. It’s Blade Runner watched on a loop on methamphetamines. It’s Atari Teenage Riot remixed by DJ Shadow being reinterpreted by Dave Lombardo using drum pads fed into Ableton Live. Most of Polymorphic Code is a fast-moving sound collage, but it does let up a little during Warp Gate Exploit. Kind of in the same way a shark takes time to swallow between bites. This album may give you a coronary. You have been warned. Matt MacMaster
albums/singles/eps
★★★★
BLACK LIPS
Boys In The Wood
THE FISH JOHN WEST REJECT Swim
Vice
River Filf/Foghorn
Black Lips return is as lazy and singalong as their best work, the recording more hi-fi than usual but still gritty.
Who You Love (Ft Katy Perry)
Melbourne-via-Tassie outfit The Fish John West Reject peddled their self-professed “acoustic pop thrashabilly” with great aplomb during the late-‘80s/early-‘90s; as well as being great live they dropped two well-crafted albums before splitting in ’91. Now 25 years after its recording they’re re-releasing 1988 debut, Swim – some tracks slightly re-recorded as well as getting the remix treatment – and it’s scrubbed up wonderfully, tracks like Green, Big Wind, The Orchard and Tamar River as fun and vibrant now as they were in their heyday. A delightful return.
Sony
Steve Bell
HORRORSHOW
Dead Star Shine Elefant Traks One of King Amongst Many’s standouts, the atmospheric piano loop sets the tone for the deadpan lyrical delivery, understated and dark but not pessimistic.
JOHN MAYER
Maybe Mayer is just trolling everyone, or maybe he really is the ‘Wettest Songwriter Ever’. So gross.
★★★★
★★★★
AUSTRALIAN CRAWL
BLANK REALM
Universal
Bedroom Suck
Even in their heyday Aussie Crawl weren’t taken as seriously as their peers – perhaps due to their laddish beach vibe or maybe James Reyne’s inimitable drawl – but between 1978-86 they indulged in a veritable orgy of creativity. Defiantly Australian in more than just name (Errol, Daughters Of The Northern Coast, the inscrutable Reckless), they touched on class and gender divides (Beautiful People and Boys Light Up respectively) and relationship travails (Downhearted, Oh No Not You Again, Things Don’t Seem) with consummate ease. Line-up changes saw them fade late but they remain massive Oz rock doyens.
Years of craft-honing have come to fruition for Brisbane quartet Blank Realm, new opus Grassed Inn resplendent with their trademark wonky melodies and incessant hooks. The psych undertones of their experimental roots remain evident but now colour rather than inform, tracks like Back To The Flood and synth-laden live staple Falling Down The Stairs far more accessible than niche. Songs stretch out languidly even when urgent, while Baby Closes The Door and Reach You On The Phone are sad lyrically but musically inspiring. Highly deserving of the global praise being so liberally piled upon them.
Steve Bell
Steve Bell
The Greatest Hits
Grassed Inn
DAFT PUNK
Instant Crush
★★★½
Sony What would happen if Daft Punk produced a track for The Strokes? Maybe you’ve asked this question. Probably not, but here’s the answer anyway.
VARIOUS
Carrie OST
★★★★
TRANSVAAL DIAMOND SYNDICATE
Sony
Estranged Blues
Beats Cartel/MGM
Billy Preston’s Big Beat sample gets another workout on Lorde’s new single, meaning that hopefully it has already been mashed up with Dizzee’s Fix Up Look Sharp.
Featuring choice cuts from a diverse list of acts including Portugal. The Man, Haim, Vampire Weekend, Cults and more, the Carrie soundtrack plays out like a romantic hipster mix disc, with a couple of curveballs thrown in like Matrimony’s cover of Dylan’s Tombstone Blues. Not sure what some of these tracks have to do with a possessed chick covered in blood – it’s doubtful anyone’s maiming to the sounds of Passion Pit – but like recent soundtracks such as Twilight and The Hunger Games, the visual outing makes a great excuse for a quality indie compilation, telekinetic connections ignored.
Chris Yates
Benny Doyle
RIVAL FIRE Memories
Independent Big budget rock-pop recorded by the band. They’re moving onto a big buck producer for the next release, but you wonder where the sound will go from here.
LORDE Team
Universal
Everyone loves some snappy bass, especially when you can hear it noodling away without having to dig under layers of crap. It runs riot in Americana/blues-rock purveyors Transvaal Diamond Syndicate’s debut, invitingly so on opener So Sweet. These locals work just about every genre staple on here – honky tonk, holler backs, roadhouse – while title track Estranged Blues teems with dirty guitar and singer Christian Tryhorn’s righteous wail. Lay You Down showcases the guys’ musical chops as does the swaggering Mexico. Another feather in Brisbane’s vibrant musical cap.
★★★½
OF MICE & MEN Restoring Force Rise/ADA These guys are tight. Nothing’s changed in that department for this Californian metalcore five-piece on their third album Restoring Force. As a relative newcomer to the scene their engaging lines and rhythmic changes have stood them in stark relief to their peers. What is new, however, is a nu-metal sound, especially in the snappy Feels Like Forever. While it certainly doesn’t hamper the brutal intensity of Bones Exposed and Glass Hearts, it’s a dangerous move to evoke thoughts of Chester Bennington. Aside from this slight stain, the boys deliver another well rounded release. Carley Hall
Carley Hall THE MUSIC • 22ND JANUARY 2014 • 33
live reviews
BIG DAY OUT 2014
Metricon Stadium & Carrara Gardens 19 Jan After 20 years of Big Days Out at Gold Coast Parklands it’s vaguely surreal entering the new layout at Metricon Stadium and surrounds, but it soon proves to be the perfect locale for such an event with no real logistical dramas to speak of, good sound everywhere and easy access to all stages and amenities. To top it off it’s a gorgeous Queensland summer day, slightly on the warm side but with plenty of shaded areas readily available this doesn’t prove to be an issue whatsoever for the sizable crowd slowly taking over the region.
Covered In Chrome – it’s so great seeing the boys basking in the adulation they so richly deserve. Loon Lake frontman Sam Nolan is quite a lovable larrikin onstage with his band of bros and mates, though for a moment the mood is a little sombre as he dedicates crowd favourite Cherry Lips to a father they ran into at the airport who had lost a daughter to cancer, though it’s a beautiful touch that makes him all the more endearing. A cover of Amy Winehouse’s Valery is a fun, peppy boost of crowd morale even though the music from the rides outside creates a weird in-between-song dynamic throughout the set. Portugal. The Man frontman John Baldwin Gourley is in full Souljacker mode with his hood over and sunglasses on. The
ARCADE FIRE @ BDO. PIC: STEPHEN BOOTH
It’s great to see local lads DZ Deathrays back on the big stage, once again proving that they can sound massive in this setting given the chance. While the crowd is small and the heat is extreme, they still turn in a spirited performance. We get a couple of new songs from their just-completed second LP, but it’s the older tracks like No Sleep and Teenage Kickstarts that go down best. A massive crowd has turned out early to show their support for local rock legends Violent Soho, who repay the favour by putting in a behemoth of a performance. They open with Dope Calypso and fire up the crowd surfers from the get-go, and thousands of people scream the words back to tracks like Love Is A Heavy Word, Neighbour Neighbour and Jesus Stole My Girlfriend. The whole tent goes ballistic for 34 • THE MUSIC • 22ND JANUARY 2014
daylight hours given their nocturnal bent, but as always they bring their A game and deliver a stream of brilliant tracks such as The Best You Can Believe In, How To See Through Fog and their own festival banger The Minotaur. Frontman Gareth Liddiard revels in the intensity he brings to all he touches, and their pummeling version of I Don’t Ever Want To Change sets the bar high for all who follow. What heat? Now, it’s all black uniforms for The Naked & Famous – have we not heard about the industrial strength air-conditioning that’s looking after the artists onstage? The Kiwis start off moody – the electronica side of their sound more prominent – pumping out the massive tune Punching In A Dream, then proceed to work through a set of old and new,
BIG DAY OUT. PIC: JOHN STUBBS
tunes are probably even warmer than he is though – they play So American and Hip Hop Kids and the lucid guitars soundtrack a lie down on the grass far too well. There’s nothing much to look at on the stage visual-wise, but the songs speak for themselves, and the main stage ‘sound vs. wind battle’ of Parklands Big Day Outs gone is now a distant memory. The five-piece Toro Y Moi look very cool today, but not half as cool as they sound. Squelchy synth funk breezes through the sparsely populated tent that houses the Red Stage, as the few in attendance get grooving pretty hard to the band’s part-classic/ part-futuristic funk. The soft rock aping New Beat is particularly appreciated when it drops 3/4 of the way through the set. It’s kinda incongruous seeing The Drones in a tent during
with the good shit off their first record (All Of This; Young Blood) still garnering the best response. Thrusting Aussie rockers Kingswood hit all the rights spots, charming all and sundry with banter encouraging the crowd to kiss their neighbouring punters and offering a surprise set highlight with Wolf by Swedish sisters First Aid Kit that is introduced by way of Dolly Parton’s Jolene. The cover suits both vocalist Fergus Linacre’s style and the band’s alt-country flavours remarkably well, before the wailing riffage of Medusa further blows minds. It seems that Tame Impala can do no wrong as far as Australia’s collective mindset goes, and this performance does little to disrupt the consensus. As if some kind of modern rock messiah, a barefoot Kevin Parker leads
his band through the blistering sun in the most confident and relaxed manner. A blissful wash of psychedelic rock is sewn through each aural offering, their set abundant in gems, with favourites Desire Be Desire Go, Feels Like We Only Go Backwards, and Apocalypse Dreams shining on through the blinding light. The Algorithm have the most brutal sound you’re likely to hear today. And they’re just two guys. And they’re super polite Frenchmen. And they have no guitar. It’s a mixer and a tech metal drummer, battling each other, creating the soundtrack to a futuristic war that we’re yet to experience. The skills on show are formidable, but the guys still know how to have fun; you gotta laugh when they drop in the sax snippet of George Michael’s Careless Whisper.
THE HIVES @ BDO. PIC: STEPHEN BOOTH
Sydney indie dance trio RüFüS cannot put a foot wrong in a set showcasing last year’s breakthrough debut album Atlas. Rocking a Violent Soho muscletee, frontman Tyrone Lindqvist inspires a sea of girl-on-shoulders action with an emotive vocal as the set hits the big tracks Take Me and the resplendent percussion finale of Desert Night. The golden pipes of Brisbane songstress Tara Simmons add some inspired dynamics midset as she lets fully loose with the command of the crowd at the end of her fingertips. The utter dismay caused by the cancellation of Harvest Festival is somewhat counter-balanced for Primus fans as the Yokelvoiced virtuosos bust their way through a generous helping of bass-laden grooves. With over 14 years of accumulated history, this particular incarnation of the band
THE MUSIC • 22ND JANUARY 2014 • 35
live reviews is extremely well-gelled, and they really display it. New cut Lee Van Cleef shows they can still write ‘em, however, it’s hard for new material to really stand out when it’s neighboured by a slew of classics including Jerry Was a Race Car Driver, My Name Is Mud and Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver. With the squalling high notes of co-front couple Hannah Hooper and Christian Zucconi audible from other tents, Grouplove are vocal about bringing an element of high energy to the afternoon; though the primarily keys- and percussion-based newbie Biting The Bullet falls a little flat, Tongue Tied kickstarts the indie pop fun again and Borderlines And Aliens tips it over as the crowd yells back the popular refrain of “Ari-ari-ari-gato, gato!” The slow acoustic burn of closer Colours builds to a most pleasing
BEADY EYE @ BDO. PIC: JOHN STUBBS
mix of harmonies as skipping girls move to other stages. Cosmic Psychos arrive proactively dressed in matching T-shirts bearing custom bikie colours – a wicked dig at Queensland’s controversial association laws – and after a brilliant opening gambit of Pub into Nice Day To Go To The Pub deliver a veritable greatest hits extravaganza; I’m Up You’re Out, Custom Credit, Go The Hack, Back In Town and Lost Cause highlights of a hellraising set. Guitarist Mad Macka offers a rippling gut solo before they end with the traditional mooning of the crowd – those butts never get old. Swedish rockers The Hives are typically sartorially resplendent in matching suits – a brave move given the oppressive afternoon sun smashing them on the 36 • THE MUSIC • 22ND JANUARY 2014
main stage – but they deliver a strong performance which gets the large crowd involved, consummate frontman Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist firing them up as the band crunch through Main Offender, Wait A Minute, Die, All Right! and Walk Idiot Walk. The riffs just keep coming like an unrelenting wave of rock, and they finish a strong showing with a rollicking Tick Tick Boom. Considering one of Mudhoney’s more well-known songs Suck You Dry was released on their third album in 1992, they’re looking remarkably fresh and spunky as frontman Mark Arm spits the lyrics of the early set highlight that also showcases that trademark thick-fuzz bass we’ve come to know and love. Touch Me I’m Sick inspires some 40+ demographic crowdsurfing as one of many extended solos loosens
the Boiler Room, sending body rocking beats out that shoot straight for the hip. PLURNT partying is taking place all around us, and with plenty of microphone hype it’s hard not to kick up the dust a little. Sporting a short hooligan cut, Liam Gallagher holds his iconic pose centre stage as Beady Eye knock out staggering Britrock with minimal smiles but plenty of emotion. Early tunes such as Four Letter Word are solid, however, they don’t hold a flame to Oasis classics like Rock ‘n’ Roll Star and Morning Glory. Closing with a cover of the Stones’ Gimme Shelter earns them plenty of love, too. Could have been a car crash, turned out to be something pretty special. Rising Americana darlings The Lumineers pull a massive crowd
TAME IMPALA @ BDO. PIC: STEPHEN BOOTH
limbs before I’m Now sees Arm hamming up the stage antics with thrusts and death stares to prove he’s still got the moves. The Headspace Stage is packed for Kerser, with his solid fanbase hanging off his every rhyme. With DJ and backing rapper in tow, he motors through a varied selection of bombastic tracks that really keep the crowd on their toes. His greatest success, Kerser Is The Sickest, is saved for last, and a frenzied response gives way to an excited mass singalong. He comes out for an encore, but the dwindling crowd is rather non-plussed at the MCs brief re-emergence. For all its hype, trap music still remains an outsider strain of dance in this country, but aint nobody told Flosstradamus, with the hip pair putting a genuine afternoon exclamation mark on
and breakdowns dropped they show why their latest record Singularity – thanks to tracks like Quantum Theory – flipped the local scene on its head in 2013. Dillon Francis is in high spirits, letting a barrage of trap and moombahton loose, giving a nod to festival friends Major Lazer with the Diplo collaboration Que Que, and airing recent favourite Without You. Visually he unleashes his comedic side, with photoshopped images incorporating his head flooding the Boiler Room’s massive screens. And to top off the excess fun, and reinvigorate a few broken hearts, he throws Blur’s Song 2 into the mix. Arcade Fire are practically perfect tonight; but do they belong here? With personnel onstage reaching double figures
SNOOP DOGG @ BDO. PIC: STEPHEN BOOTH
over at the Red Stage tent, their fervent followers lapping up songs like Ain’t Nobody’s Problem before going absolutely mental when they throw hit single Ho Hey in quite early in proceedings, although the band diffuse this somewhat by stopping halfway through to admonish the crowd for their collective use of mobile phones to capture the performance. They’re soon back underway and a faithful rendition of Dylan’s Subterranean Homesick Blues and a strong run through of Charlie Boy prove standout moments of their remaining time.
at times, the band slog through their soaring indie rock to a mix of enthused and disinterested punters. RunningThe Suburbs directly into Ready To Start gets everyone amped up, Afterlife and the excellent Reflektor show their new enviable rhythmic nous and whenSprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) hits just as darkness sets in it’s a pretty perfect moment. It’s a great show, but with so much dumb rock (and that’s a term of endearment) before and after the band today, one wonders if they’re the right fit for this BDO.
The guitar solo hits its high note, a stick spins skyward, riffs and roars connect, and all we see are the new kings of Australian metal absolutely tearing things apart. Northlane are nice young guys making impossibly technical and heavy music somehow accessible, and with plenty of fists raised
It’s staggering to think Pearl Jam are a 24-year institution, such is the energy and sheer joy they bring to the stage. Eddie Vedder’s voice has aged as well as the red wine he’s sipping, and when Mike McCready solos with his guitar over his head you’re frozen in awe. The
THE MUSIC • 22ND JANUARY 2014 • 37
live reviews tracklist is incredible: 27 songs, two encores; Hail Hail, Corduroy, Even Flow, Rearviewmirror, Jeremy. And us locals are plenty proud when surfing sons Occy and Mick Fanning get up and shake their thing, before the Seattle legends close with a celebratory cover of Neil Young’s Rockin’ In The Free World. Swedish metallers Ghost have an unenviable slot against some of the festival’s big guns, but still turn in one of the event’s most theatrical sets to a small but committed crowd. The cowled band enter the fray first looking like some twisted order of guitartoting monks, but their impact is dwarfed when frontman Papa Emeritus regally enters the fray looking all the world like the Pope if the Pope lived in hell and worshipped Satan. Visuals aside the band deal in strong, doomy riffs and the songs impact hard, even if they start seeming slightly one-dimensional after a while. It’s a trip through the life and career of Snoop Dogg tonight,
opening with Here Comes The King from last year’s Snoop Lion Reincarnated record and going way back to Doggystyle cuts from 20 years ago like Gin & Juice and Who Am I? (What’s My Name?). It’s a wonderful party as Snoop drops his verses from Dre’s Let’s Get High and The Next Episode, 50 Cent’s P.I.M.P. and Akon’s I Wanna Love You (I Wanna Fuck You), dedicated to the ladies of the Gold Coast. Steve Angello, one third of Swedish House Mafia, commands a one-third-full Boiler Room to close tonight – a funny coincidence. Those who make the effort are rewarded massively though with a big room house show replete with pyrotechnics, streamer cannons, mass smoke blasts and an incredible light show. This is one hell of a production. He drops everything from Evereything But The Girl’s 1994 pop smash Missing and Sebastian Ingrosso & Tommy Trash’s Reload from 2012 to Eurythmics’ 1983 new wave anthem Sweet
Dreams (Are Made Of This) and keeps the energy pumping despite the poor attendance. In a set heavily-laden with tracks from their latest record Koi No Yokan, Deftones are in superb shape as they cater for swooning girls and metal heads alike. Rosemary delivers a skullpenetrating kick drum from Abe Cunningham, atmospheric deck work from Frank Delgado and frontman Chino Moreno’s wistful vocal that turns readily to all-out aggression as oldies RX Queen and My Own Summer (Shove It) are unleashed. It’s rare to see the Sacramento quintet out of form these days, though their reliance on the punishing one-two finale of Engine Number 9 followed by 7 Words from their 1995 debut could do with a refresh. While at times it seems that their questionable gender politics are perhaps left to squaller in the trash, Major Lazer certainly know how to bring a party home, and prove to be a fitting choice as festival closers. Dense slabs of
bass pervade the space as a busy display of visual stimulus floods a stage manned on either side by oversized inflatable Major Lazer mascots. An asinine aura threatens the mood as Bubble Butt gives way to Mac Miller being called onstage to receive his congratulatory birthday twerking and face-grinding, but all is recovered, and a sample of The Prodigy’s Breathe soon gives way to one last lengthy onslaught of cheerfully threatening indulgence in bass and beats. As the first Big Day Out in these new digs winds down everyone seems happy and contented as they shuffle out into the darkness, satiated by a day and night of diverse and top-notch music – the perfect chance to get loose. What more can ya ask for? Steve Bell, Dan Condon, Benny Doyle, Tyler McLoughlan, Jake Sun For more extensive BDO coverage head to theMusic.com.au.
arts reviews
WATCHING GIRLS She Said OK S3, E3 This Week On Girls: Nothing says ‘I love you’ quite like a tender tooth necklace, especially when Birthday Bitch Hannah has hit 25. Her soirée brings old-character callbacks (Laird! Adam’s dyke crew!), her mum and dad dancing to Kings Of Convenience, and the awkward/ painful Ray/Shosh reunion foretold in Ep 1. Oh, and a fistfight, which brews when 38 • THE MUSIC • 22ND JANUARY 2014
John Cameron Mitchell shows up uninvited, “temporarily download[s] Grindr” onto Hannah’s phone, eyeballs the stars of her anecdotes, and dares derail the Corganist angst of Ray’s Today reverie. Marnie’s thrown the party strictly for the Instagram photos (S3 theme ahoy!), but also to relive pathetic ‘glory-days’ memories from Hannah’s 21st; apparently the digital-spectre of her Auto-Tuned Edie Brickell cover isn’t enough to dissuade her from Rent karaoke and its attendant cringecomedy. And then there’s Adam’s sister, Gaby Hoffmann, who unexpectedly turns up sitcomdevice-style in the opening minute, and very-expectedly turns out to be Crystal Fairy crazy. “No fucking way!” shirtless Adam barks at the inevitability of both her imminent implosion and her reversal-gag stay in their spare room. Is this Girls playing with tropes or employing them?
CONVICT Film
In cinemas 21 Jan In their second effort, writerdirector duo David Field (Chopper) and George Basha (The Combination), transport familiar concerns of race, identity and notions of honour to the prison yard in a new Australian feature. Basha stars as war hero-turned-convict Ray Francis, who is locked up for an accidental murder when trying to defend his fiancee’s honour. The victim’s father is a man with connections and he strikes a deal with the prison warden (Field) to make Ray’s time in prison hell on
Hannah Nudity Watch: Fully clothed all day and all night! Shosh Amaze Meter: Piqued by YouTube commenters who like Marnie’s tits. The Tao Of Adam: “Hair grows, it shrinks; you can’t get attached.”
CONVICT
earth. Cue the intimidation, brutality, gang politics and corruption that define life on the inside. Winners and losers abound but justice does not. This is Ray’s personal conflict throughout the film. He struggles to understand this war, as opposed to the ones he’s used to fighting in the army. Throughout Convict, the violence is frequent and reactions to it heartless; the language is filthy and the prison is immense, nearly swallowing the screen in some shots, as much as it swallows up inmates and spits them back out. The striking visuals and quality photographic direction are a welcome feature of the film. However, ultimately, this is a story with few surprises. Ray’s struggle is of course a noble one but it’s been explored many times elsewhere. Convict sticks too closely to the script and, as a result, it feels simply like an Australian version of ‘the prison drama’ rather than a distinct contribution to this genre. Emma Breheny
the guide
SAHARA BECK
Name/instrument: Sahara Beck – I play guitar, piano and sing. How long have you been performing? I’ve been performing since I was 13, so four years. You’re on tour in the van – which band or artist is going to keep you happy if we throw them on the stereo? Sticky Fingers, yoooo! Would you rather be a busted broke-but-revered Hank Williams figure or some kind of Metallica monster? I’d rather being busted broke-but-revered Hank any day. Playing music is a joy within itself and it doesn’t really bother me if I make no money from it – as long as I’m creating music for people who connect with it I’m happy. Which Brisbane bands before you have been an inspiration (musically or otherwise)? The whole Brisbane scene is inspiring in itself. I moved here two years ago and found from the very beginning that everyone is supportive of each other and motivated to keep moving forward. It’s great to be around. What part do you think Brisbane plays in the music you make? I’ve met a lot of new people in Brisbane and experienced a lot of things that I probably wouldn’t have elsewhere. Brisbane is the grooviest place to be because it’s filled with young entrepreneurs ready to help each other out and always wanting to learn more. What’s in the pipeline for you musically in the short term? I’ll be playing a few festivals this year and studying. Mainly I’ll be working with other musicians, collaborating in recordings and performances. I’m looking forward to seeing who will be a part of my journey and how the next year shapes me musically. Sahara Beck plays The Joynt on 22 Jan and 19 Feb, Stanley St Plaza, South Bank on 21 Feb and Bleach* Festival 2014, Gold Coast on 23 Mar. Photo by TERRY SOO. THE MUSIC 22ND JANUARY 2014 • 39
eat/drink
MAKIN’ FRIENDS WITH SALAD Salads can be great sides or meals in themselves. If you’re against what you call “rabbit food” then clearly you’ve never had an exciting salad. Play around with these combos: Illustration Brendon Wellwood
GRILLED WATERMELON
SOBA NOODLE Cooked soba noodles, avocado, chicken or (smoked) salmon, finely sliced carrot and cucumber, mixed lettuce or spinach, cherry tomatoes, sesame seeds, edamame. Dressing: sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, rice wine vinegar, chilli oil.
Grilled watermelon slices, rocket, crumbled goat’s cheese or feta, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, freshly ground black pepper and sea salt. Optional: pork belly (with crackle!).
CHICKEN & MANGO Cooked chicken, mango, red capsicum, cucumber, basil, bean sprouts, peanuts/cashews, spring/ red onion, cooked vermicelli noodles. Dressing: lime juice, fish sauce, soy sauce, chilli sauce/flakes, brown sugar.
PESTO PASTA Cooked penne (or short pasta of your choice), pesto, grated parmesan, semi-dried or cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, olive oil, spinach, cooked bacon, pine nuts.
ROASTED PUMPKIN, BEETROOT, QUINOA & FETA
TOMATO, BASIL & BOCCONCINI Sliced roma/vine-ripened tomatoes, bocconcini (patted dry), fresh basil leaves, good-quality balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, freshly ground black pepper and sea salt.
Above ingredients plus mixed lettuce, walnuts, chickpeas, sesame seeds, pine nuts. Dressing: Greek-style yoghurt, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, pepper, dijon mustard.
CURRENT WORLDWIDE ANNUAL MEAT CONSUMPTION PER CAPITA Source: chartsbin.com/view/12730 (in kg per person per year)
AUSTRALIA AFRICA
102 - 120.2 16.7 - 30 91.4 - 120.2
NORTH AMERICA SOUTH AMERICA
68.6 - 80.2
EUROPE
68.6 - 80.2 55.3 - 68.6
ASIA ANTARCTICA
40 • THE MUSIC • 22ND JANUA JANUARY ARY 2014
LESS THAN 16.7
eat/drink
ARCHIVE BEER BOUTIQUE
THE SHAFSTON HOTEL
Answered by: Brett Noreiks
Answered by: Amanda Brown
Most memorable Australia Day? 2010: a whole heap of my mates returned home from overseas for Australia Day. We had a massive house party, lots of drinks, lots of tunes and awesome food!
Most memorable Australia Day? Every Aussie Day is memorable for different reasons, but I’ve got to say this one at The Shafston Hotel will be the best one yet! Rocking bands, great food, cold brews and a ten-metre LED screen to watch the cricket. What more could we want!
What’s your preferred Australia Day bevo? Murray’s Whale Ale, an American wheat beer. What will you be putting on the barbie? Seafood of course; I’ll be eating prawns (not shrimp). What are your plans for celebrating Australia Day? We’ll be battling it out at the official craft beer open table tennis championships here at Archive, watching the Hottest 100 craft beer countdown and listening to triple j Hottest 100… Sounds like a pretty good day to me! For more info: archivebeerboutique. com.au
What’s your preferred Australia Day bevo? Summer Bright and CC & Dry on tap is 2014’s pick. What will you be putting on the barbie? Snags, steaks, lots of ribs, fresh prawns and of course lamb chops. What tunes will you be pumping at your Australia Day party? Mick Medew, Demon Drink, Rumblefish and Her Way To Hell. For more info: shafstonhotel.com.au
THE UNDERDOG
THE VICTORY HOTEL
Most memorable Australia Day? Sitting in front of the TV in the backyard for 12 hours watching The Paul Hogan Show with a can of VB. What’s your preferred Australia Day bevo? Cold beer in a coconut. What will you be putting on the barbie? A 90cm red emperor stuffed with six kinds of prawns. Will you be wearing any clothing with the Australian flag on it or green and gold? G-banger budgie smugglers for the blokes. What tunes will you be pumping at your Australia Day party? Real Australian rock’n’roll. What are your plans for celebrating Australia Day? The Underdog is celebrating with great line-ups of good oldfashoned rock’n’roll, electro and bovver-rock. For more info: facebook. com/UnderdogPubCo
Answered by: Daniel Sutton Most memorable Australia Day? Any chance to celebrate this wonderful country is memorable. What’s your preferred Australia Day bevo? You can’t go past an ice cold beer; key words: ‘ice cold’. What will you be putting on the barbie? Sausages... Seriously can’t beat snags with onion and tomato sauce on fresh bread. What tunes will you be pumping at your Australia Day party? Triple j Hottest 100 is an Aussie tradition these days... Also, you can’t go past a live Aussie hip hop show with a beatbox battle thrown in to spice things up. What are your plans for celebrating Australia Day? Good mates + good tunes + cold beverages + barbecue + crazy outfit = one hell of a celebration! For more info: thevictory.com.au
SALAD DAYS
Too hungry or lazy to chuck a salad together yourself? Don’t worry, you can buy ‘em from these places. Sourced Grocer – 11 Florence St, Teneriffe One of those places that locals always recommend to visitors, this cafe has an array of fresh, simple but tasty salads. The quinoa, salmon and falafel salads are popular options. Botanica – 9/1 Enogerra Tce, Red Hill A takeaway only place, you can mix and match as many salads into a small, medium or family pack as you like! Their salads change but are always interesting, healthy and flavour-filled, and much fancier than the ones you might whip up at home.
café good food & coffee Mon-Sun 7am–3pm
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ALL D
BREAKFAASY T
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Supplying boutique blends and single origins roasted in West End. WHOLESALE ENQUIRIES: (: 07 3217 2323 OR *: info@blackstarcoffee.com.au
693 Brunswick St, New Farm p 3254 2883
VISIT US ON FACEBOOK AT: Facebook.com/blackstarcoffee OR Facebook.com/contessablackstar
THE MUSIC • 22ND JANUARY 2014 • 41
the guide qld.live@themusic.com.au
BACKLASH
TOURING THIS WEEK
GREAT EXPECTATIONS
The State Government has just added 200 extra rail services in SEQ, which will apparently put us “on par with Perth” now. Fantastic. And about time. Now how about them buses?
C’MON ENGLAND
Okay, the cricket season is officially getting boring now – even the most parochial and one-eyed local fans must be over us humiliating the Poms in every contest. Can they really go the whole summer without beating us?
NAME A SONG
It’s great to see Lorde rocking a Cramps T-shirt on the cover of the next US Rolling Stone. You really have to wonder how many band members or albums she can name. At least it wasn’t a Ramones shirt like everyone else…
BDO. PIC: JOHN STUBBS
FRONTLASH NEW DIGS A WIN!
START ME UP
SWINGING FROM TREES
Dropping the three seven, Engine are about to embark on their Torn Asunder tour, hitting Transcontinental Hotel, Friday; Coolangatta Hotel, GC, Saturday (supporting The Butterfly Effect and Helm); and Lennox Hotel, Lennox Head, Sunday.
After a period of hibernation, Arundel are back to blow minds in full-band mode, the five-piece hitting Ric’s Bar this Friday to launch their brand new single, Chimpanzee. Sydney’s This Mess will open the free show.
ALL FOR EVERYTHING
OFF WITH A BANG
The boys from Pro Vita are set to get loose to celebrate their forthcoming new EP Back And Forth, bringing their scruffy brand of indie pop to Solbar, Maroochydore on Friday, with Chase City and Tea Society supporting – $10.
Blow a fuse when you get the full Interrobang effect from local pop-rock darlings The Mistaeks (yes, we know...). The band launch their second EP with a show at The Zoo this Saturday, before backing up at The Loft, GC, 31 Jan.
PULL OUT THE BONGOS
COME CLOSE, KEEP WARM
Be lured into the tropical shack surrounds of Shady Palms this Friday and enjoy a set from local troubadour Dane Adamo. Liam Bryant gets things started at 5pm, with Adamo playing a bunch of tracks off his debut Hope From Fear from 6pm.
New Globe Theatre is hosting their weekly Campfire Test tonight (22 Jan), with a stripped back set from My Fiction, pictured, Folklore do their eclectic folk thing, as the captivating mood-pop of Amy Shark will also perform. $5 entry.
The BDO’s new home at Carrara was a great success, with great sound and viewing at all stages and easy access to everything you could hope for. Add this to the great music on offer and a killer day was had by all!
GOOD GRIEF!
It was so hot in Melbourne for the Australian Open that one of the tennis players started seeing Snoopy! A lot of people pay good money for similar experiences, at least it wasn’t Garfield or something…
CLASSIC JOLTS
The humble flat white – developed here in Australia back in the ‘80s – is finally catching on in the States, apparently being served in more and more discerning places in NYC. How have they survived until now? 42 • THE MUSIC • 22ND JANUARY 2014
THIS WEEK’S RELEASES… AGAINST ME! Transgender Dysphoria Blues Resist THE LAWRENCE ARMS Metropole Epitaph/Warner OF MICE & MEN Restoring Force Rise/MDA VARIOUS Spirit Of Akasha OST Warner
FOR MORE HEAD TO THEMUSIC.COM.AU
THE MUSIC • 22ND JANUARY 2014 • 43
the guide qld.live@themusic.com.au
EP FOCUS
KIP CASPER Member’s name: Ryan Grantham EP title? The Light In Your Eyes How many releases do you have now? This is our first release as a band. Prior to this we had some demos kicking around on Reverbnation. Was anything in particular inspiring you during the making? We added an extra guitarist Eden shortly before we started tracking, so we really got a good chance to see what he brought to table. His chemistry with the rest of band was astounding. What’s your favourite song on it? My personal favourite is Outta Your Head; it has a punchy groove and I still find it catchy. We’ll like this EP if we like... People who have heard us say they hear elements of Incubus, The Temper Trap, Faith No More and No Doubt. When and where is your launch/next gig? We are launching it at The Loft on Chevron Island (near Surfers Paradise). It just feels like our home, it has such a great vibe. Kip Casper play The Loft, Gold Coast on Friday 24 Jan.
VIDEO CLIP FOCUS
FUTURE SOUNDS
BANDITO FOLK
STUCK ON YOU
SKIP THE BEAT
Member’s name: Tom Jewell
Sydney indie types The Fixators have just applied the finishing touches to their new EP Colourblind, and the boys are packing the van and taking their new jams on the road. Hear them at Ric’s Bar, 6 Mar.
Perth indie rockers The Leap Year will hustle into Brisbane for the first time with their new album The Narrowing in hand. They hit Crowbar on 6 Feb on a fat bill that also features the likes of Arrows, Seahorse Divorce and Make More.
FIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS
WEIRD INTENTIONS
Mass Sky Raid have done plenty well for themselves recently, scoring the support duties on Kiwi-cum-UK rockers I Am Giant’s upcoming tour, which will hit The Rev, 6 Feb. The band also play RockFeast Festival, Toogoolawah, 8 Feb.
With the tracks off their latest EP Strange Love still fresh, Jack & The Giant Killers will share the wealth and bring their boundless energy to The Loft, Gold Coast, 7 Feb. It’s $10 entry, with Tuesday’s Good and Kenny Slide also on the bill.
FOR THE HELL OF IT
CENTRAL RESERVATION
Down and dirty trio Junior Danger headline Beetle Bar on 30 Jan, creating a soundtrack for spilled pints and questionable decisions. You can also hear them at The Tempo Hotel, 22 Feb, New Globe Theatre, 2 Mar and Ric’s Bar, 28 Mar.
On 29 Jan at New Globe Theatre and 4 Feb at The Scratch, enjoy the sounds of Alice Springs folk-soul voice Colin Lillie. He’s in town to begin work on his first record, so make this new face welcome!
PICKING UP THINGS
CULTURAL EXCHANGE
Already set for a sweaty one at Trainspotters, Grand Central Hotel on 1 Feb, Maids have decided to violate further ear drums the following night, 2 Feb, down at Swinging Safari on the GC. Have a loose Sunday with the Novocastrians.
Legendary Brazilian bluesman Igor Prado will join forces with US harmonica great Lynwood Slim next month. Catch the revered South American guitarist when he plays New Globe Theatre, 6 Feb, with support from The Walters and Jimi Beavis.
UNLOCK THE NIGHT
UPPING THE ANTE
Oliver Tank’s Slow Motion Music tour arrives at The Zoo, 8 Feb, and it’s going to be a memorable evening by the looks of things with Oscar Key Sung, pictured, and Bree Tranter both lending their amazing voices and creative musicianship to proceedings.
You’re already getting along to a Major Leagues show next month, right? Well, get in early and catch The Ocean Party, pictured, and The Good Sports, too: Alhambra Lounge, 20 Feb; The Spotted Cow, Toowoomba, 21 Feb; and Solbar, Maroochydore, 22 Feb.
Song title: Don’t Wanna Be Like You Director: David Granato What’s the concept behind the clip? The song is largely open to interpretation. I think it criticises some aspects of society, particularly the media’s portrayal of what’s important. The video contrasts traditional ‘good people’ against ‘bad people’ in different scenarios. How long did it take to make? We spent a day filming and David spent a week or so putting it together. Where did you film it? Out the front of a small apartment building in West End. We were in a courtyard underneath some trees and the sunlight filtering through the leaves was a nice touch. What’s your favourite part of the clip? Aside from the sweet action shots of myself, I quite enjoyed the performances of Josh and the actors/extras. It’s possible he missed his calling as an actor but it’s not too late for him. Was anything in particular inspiring you during the making? Our melancholy expressions were largely inspired by the constant bird droppings from the trees above. Look closely at Aled’s shirt. Will you be launching it? A video launch is in the works but no details are set in stone yet. Watch this space. Bandito Folk play Black Bear Lodge on Thursday 23 Jan.
FOR MORE HEAD TO THEMUSIC.COM.AU 44 • THE MUSIC • 22ND JANUARY 2014
THE MUSIC • 22ND JANUARY 2014 • 45
the guide qld.live@themusic.com.au
FUTURE SOUNDS
SINGLE FOCUS
EP FOCUS
NIGHT CREATURES
KICK UP YOUR HEELS
ARUNDEL
THE MISTAEKS
Own The Streets is the forthcoming EP from The Owls, the obvious next step in the evolution of the rock quartet. Watch the licks fly at The Northern, Byron Bay, 22 Feb and The Bearded Lady, 23 Feb.
After taking Bring On The Dancing Girls to the masses at Falls, Jimmy Willing of The Real Gone HickUps will join Bertie Page Clinic and Buffalo Gals Dance Co. for some risqué rocking cow punk action at Royal Mail Hotel, 1 Feb.
Name: Lucas Arundell
Member’s name: Markella Vergotis
Single title? Chimpanzee What’s the song about? Chimpanzee follows three troubled characters desperate to find a cure for their restlessness and disdain for a monotonous life. How long did it take to write/ record? It began in 2012. Claire, Simon and I approached it like a movie script – brainstorming sessions about characters and what brought them together. The video was an awesome way to bring this to life.
CAFÉ - BAR
321 BRUNSWICK STREET MALL, FORTITUDE VALLEY 22ND
LE PARTI SOUL W/ DJ REDBEARD (8:00PM - LATE) + GRIMSKUNK (10:00PM) + SKINWALKERS (9:00PM) 23RD
ZOE ELLIOT 10:30PM + GUESTS 9:30PM 24TH
ARUNDEL (9:00PM) + THIS MESS (8:00PM) 25TH
MAR HAZE (9:00PM) + CHASING GREY (8:00PM) 26TH
RIC’S BIG BACKYARD AUSTRALIA DAY PARTY FEAT TRIPLE J HOTTEST 100 COUNTDOWN (12PM- 6PM) + BACKYARD DJS (6PM- 10PM) + FLANNELETTE (9:00PM) + BRUTET BEND (8:00PM) 27TH CLOSED. 28TH
JOSH LOVEGROVE (9:30PM) + OUT OF THE DEPTHS (8:30)
FREE LIVE MUSIC AND INDIE DJS WANT TO PLAY? EMAIL BOOKINGS@RICSBAR.COM.AU
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46 • THE MUSIC • 22ND JANUARY 2014
Is this track from a forthcoming release/existing release? Chimpanzee will feature on our autumn release of the working-titled EP3. This EP will present a more upbeat sound for Arundel – but still with a darkness I find hard to avoid! What was inspiring you during the songs writing and recording? There was a lot of early Beck, plus Justin Timberlake’s Justified album – particularly anything produced by Pharrell. Some synth lines were inspired by the DSI Prophet synthesiser – thanks to Seja Vogel! We’ll like this song if we like... Beck, Ratatat, UNKLE, N.E.R.D. Do you play it differently live? In a live setting, we endeavour to perform all Arundel tracks as close to the recordings as possible. Chimpanzee’s got lots of one-shot samples so it was fun learning it! When and where is your launch/ next gig? The single launch for Chimpanzee will be at Ric’s Bar, and Sydney electronic duo This Mess will be joining us. Arundel play Ric’s Bar on Friday 24 January.
EP title? Interrobang How many releases do you have now? With burgeoning support for debut EP Noob, The Mistaeks are preparing to release their second EP Interrobang in January 2014. Was anything in particular inspiring you during the making? We were honoured to have John and Patience from The Grates invite us to play at their venue the Southside Tea Room, and it was such a great experience as big fans of their work. What’s your favourite song on it? Comprehensive Lisp. A high energy track providing a satire of popular culture set to a driving, fuzzed-out wall of sound. We’ll like this EP if we like... The Mistaeks’ sound has been likened to bands such as Group Love, Mutemath, Metric, The Grates, Alabama Shakes. When and where is your launch/next gig? The Mistaeks will be showcasing Interrobang in Brisbane and on the GC this month. The Mistaeks play The Zoo on Saturday 25 Jan and The Loft, Gold Coast on Friday 31 Jan.
THE MUSIC • 22ND JANUARY 2014 • 47
opinion OG FLAVAS
ADAMANTIUM WOLF
URBAN AND R&B NEWS WITH CYCLONE
METAL, HARDCORE AND PUNK WITH LOCHLAN WATT
Beyoncé is the album of the summer. Hopefully, 2014 brings more urban ‘event’ albums. But which established acts have the buzz? Pharrell Williams has signed to Columbia Records for his first solo album since 2006’s In My Mind. The single Happy, accompanied by a 24-hour video, is already an Australian hit. Soul man Cee Lo Green will present Girl Power, influenced by UK new wave, in late-2014. Meanwhile, Frank Ocean is recording his sequel to channel ORANGE. An album from the original Sugababes members, now going as Mutya Keisha Siobhan (MKS), is (still) highly anticipated after 2013’s flop single Flatline. They’ve worked with Brit chameleon Dev Hynes, in-demand since his Solange hook-up. Unexpectedly, Rita Ora has also been in the studio with Hynes, but could Calvin Harris write her a We Found Love? Weirdly, she’s also scored a role in 2015’s film Fifty Shades Of Grey. That R&B maverick Kelis is trailing Solange into indiedom. She’s signed to producer Dave Sitek’s Federal Prism (Ninja Tune in the UK) for Food. Locally, Darwin post-dubstep soul duo Sietta can only get bigger with next month’s The Invisible River, home to Agree To Disagree, via Elefant Traks. Hip hoppers will want new albums from the ever-astute Nas and Kendrick Lamar. And, though the Wu-Tang Clan’s A Better Tomorrow has been delayed, emerging New York super-posse A$AP Mob, fronted by A$AP Rocky, will drop the LORD EP (not album) in March, with A$AP Ferg touring here in April. @therealcyclone
PHARRELL WILLIAMS
48 • THE MUSIC • 22ND JANUARY 2014
EYEHATEGOD
Chances are you may have heard about New Orlean’s sludge metal visionaries EYEHATEGOD cancelling last week’s scheduled Australian tour at the last minute. They visited us for the first time in their 25-year existence back in 2012 for a successful run through the touring agency Heathen Skulls – previously responsible for bringing many brilliant and more obscure heavy acts to Australia such as Pig Destroyer, Monarch, The Ocean, Russian Circles, Earthless and many more. Two days before their latest tour, things went sour. “Due to poor planning by the Australian booking agent, Eyehategod are sorry to say our Australian tour is now cancelled,” read the band’s second official statement on the matter. “We were left at the airport without our flights booked and then were expected to pay for them out of pocket an hour before boarding time. We were literally left standing with passports in hand but no way to travel. Many, many apologies to our Australian friends and fans. We will be back as soon as we can. Please understand this is not our fault.” Rob McManus, Heathen Skulls promoter, responded immediately to claim that “THIS ISN’T MY FAULT, it was a fuck up on the airline’s part with the booking, I’m trying to get this resolved as we speak.” Once all options were exhausted, the cancellation was confirmed; an official statement explained that, “with various complications relating to their flights, and not enough time left at check in to rectify the situation, the band wasn’t able to board their flight to Australia. Every effort was made to book the band new flights and get them out to Australia the following
day, but at this late stage, with so little flights available, we have exhausted all possibility of salvaging the tour.” While McManus has been personally responsible for bringing to Australia some incredible bands that would have otherwise never made it down here, often losing thousands of dollars in the process, there has been a handful of cancellations in recent times. Many fans have taken to the internet to voice their opinions. “Mums and kids getting shot in Syria, bitchy little music fan unhappy with circumstances way out of his/her (mainly his) control regarding a contract he accepted after he did or did not purchase a ticket to enter into. Waah fucking waah. We’re all pissed off. Swallow it,” said one punter. “The recent tour cancellations occurring as a result of your own actions and choices may indicate that it is time to cease touring bands or at very least to look at hiring a suitably qualified tour manager to ensure both financial loss is minimised to yourself and the numerous fans which has been the case this time for many who have booked flights/accommodation,” directed another to McManus. The possibility of a rescheduling through Heathen Skulls has been ruled out, McManus offering, “If EHG were a little more diplomatic and not so scathing about the cancellation, I’d be open to the possibility.” I can see both sides of this. However, it’s important to note that Heathen Skulls still has Toxic Holocaust, Skeletonwitch, Havok, and the rescheduled Kylesa tour lined up for 2014 already and without Heathen Skulls we wouldn’t be getting these tours.
QMUSIC AWME SHOWCASE APPLICATIONS OPEN Celebrating the 7th edition in 2014, AWME is regarded as Australia’s premier music industry conference and showcase event for roots music. AWME pioneers new networks and creates opportunities for musicians worldwide by engaging with industry representatives from around the globe for four days of music, workshops, seminars and showcase concerts. Applications close 2 May: awme.com.au. FREE EDUCATIONAL PODCAST SERIES Music Business Facts is a free music business podcast where successful music industry experts share their stories, successes and failures within the business. Podcasts include Michael Chugg, Steve Halpin (Groovin’ The Moo) and Alex Webster (Cannibal Corpse). Future podcasts include the likes of Angry Anderson (Rose Tattoo) and Lindy Morrison (The Go-Betweens, PPCA). Head to musicbusinessfacts.com. ARTS QUEENSLAND PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS FUNDING Applications are now open for the Projects and Programs Fund closing 21 Mar for projects and programs commencing after 1 Aug. Funding of up to $60,000 is available. This Fund invests in vibrant arts and cultural experiences for Queenslanders. For further information and to apply go to arts.qld.gov.au. WANT TO KNOW MORE OR BECOME A QMUSIC MEMBER? For these stories, memberships and more, go to qmusic.com.au.
opinion CULTURAL CRINGE A LOOK AT THE FINER THINGS WITH MANDY MCALISTER
SAVE IT
So it’s 2014 and thank Christ we’re back in even numbered years with no superstitious value attached because 2013 was a shocker, not least because Queensland now has a matching set of incompetent LNP governments, state and federal. However all is not lost – it’s a new year even if life in the lucky country means renting your soul to the devil; we’re still free to lose weight, quit smoking, and learn Chinese.
The practice of making New Year’s resolutions as we know it stems from the early Roman practice of offering resolutions to Janus, the god of beginnings and endings. When the Roman calendar was reformed, the first month of the year was renamed January in honour of Janus, establishing January 1 as the day of new beginnings. With the modern commercialisation of New Year’s resolutions it’s not so much a new age ideal, more
THE LOOKING GLASS A JOURNEY THROUGH ARTS WITH HELEN STRINGER
The problem with Manhattan is that everyone seems compelled to ‘do’ all the time. It’s not sufficient to have accomplished one thing per day. To have really fulfilled your duty as a tourist you must have woken up at five, completed three walking tours, visited six tourist spots, spent the evening sampling an eight-course degustation, and then bribed your way into an ‘exclusive’ bar where cocktails start at $19 dollars and the cheapest champagne is a $75 bottle of Veuve Clicquot.
I don’t think the sign on the Statue of Liberty mentions exclusivity when welcoming incomers. I’m pretty sure at least part of that says, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” It says some other stuff about handing over your “wretched refuse” and “homeless” too, but nobody comes by boat anymore, so the big welcome sign is now irrelevant. Except in that it encourages cheap labour, but those in minimum wage servitude
of a New Idea ideal; however, it’s a habit that’s justified by the ancients. Festivals of the Spring and Autumn equinoxes were held by the Babylonians to mark the new year and was a time to pay off debts and return borrowed goods, usually farm equipment. I imagine that Ricky Gervais used January 1 to return the Golden Globe he appropriated from Steve Carell a couple of years back, that Saddam Hussein’s estate gave back the keys to the (broke-arse) city of Detroit, and that Lawrence Springborg returned his ‘world’s best boss’ mug to K-mart when people failed to believe that someone bought it for him. If you’re looking for help keeping to your New Year’s resolutions there’s a ton of apps out there to assist. Lift, for example, is an app that helps users to form good habits by encouraging repetition of behaviours that help your reach your goal. Top grossing finance apps like MoneyWiz and Spendee can help you keep your finances on track, and if you
really want to learn a language, Duolingo will teach you a new language in bite-sized lessons of a few minutes every day. However, if your resolution includes being more cheeky you could go the way of one US woman and subvert the use of your favourite running app to draw rude pictures with its GPS. The Nike+ app user kicked off the year by taking a bet from her friend that she wouldn’t draw a penis using the app’s GPS tracker function. Not only is she $20 richer after winning the bet, but the runner followed up in epic fashion to run incrementally decreasing ovals to draw a 100-yard vagina on the same football field. This could be the start of quite a disgusting trend but if there’s a better way to get Aussies fit I’m yet to hear it. If there’s a keen runner out there who’s up for dumping a virtual poo on parliament there’s a pineapple in it for you. Childish, I know, but if our pollies won’t listen to reason, statistics, popular opinion, research or the UN, they really do deserve a Google Earth turd.
don’t live on the island anyway. Maybe they should change the welcome so it’s more suitable for rich people. “Give me your high-earners, your Chanel-toting females, and those able to afford a nightly meal that involves at least one course served with foie gras-infused dry ice.” The island floats on money, or rather, as a banker corrected me: bonds, shares, mergers and acquisitions. My humblest apologies for conflating the four. This is why all the writers live in Brooklyn.
another room entirely filled with Picassos, a security guard asked if I shouldn’t be moving on to run through six rooms of Byzantine artefacts. I don’t like Byzantine artefacts. I like Picasso and Van Gogh. Apparently I was wasting my day at the Met by not seeing absolutely everything, including everything I have no interest in. So I’m now treating doing as little as possible as a community service. Maybe I’ll start a movement.
Being poor, I’m easily able to instigate a one-person revolt against cash exchange. Being more inclined to think than do, I’ve begun to stage an antidoing rebellion. I’ve taken to deliberately ‘not doing’ randomly and frequently. Walking through uptown Manhattan I periodically sit and do nothing for ten minutes. This is viewed as an aberration which indicates that I must be mad, homeless, or both. Once someone tried to give me a dollar. When I sat down twice at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, first to admire a room of Van Goghs and then admire
On the other hand, the great thing about Manhattan is that normal people are completely anonymous. Unless you’re draped head to toe in what is obviously expensive clothing, you’re invisible. This means you can do pretty much whatever you want, including nothing. It also means that you can walk through the dodgy parts – which the wealthy don’t believe exist – without attracting a single glance. I’m about to walk through the Sesame Street avenues and streets (Avenues A, B, C, and D; 1st, 2nd and 3rd Streets) dressed only in Elmo pyjamas. THE MUSIC 22ND JANUARY 2014 • 49
the guide qld.gigguide@themusic.com.au
THE MUSIC PRESENTS Halfway: Old Museum 8 Feb Wire: The Zoo 19 Feb Future Music Festival: RNA Showgrounds 1 Mar Mikhael Paskalev: Alhambra 4 Mar The Growlers: Black Bear Lodge 5 Mar, Coolangatta Hotel 6 Mar Bleach* Festival: Gold Coast 7-23 Mar A Festival Called Panama: Tasmania 8-9 Mar
Suzanne Vega: Brisbane Powerhouse 15 Apr Allen Stone: The Zoo 16 Apr The Wailers: The Tivoli 16 Apr Byron Bay Bluesfest 2014: Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm 27-21 Apr KC & The Sunshine Band: The Tivoli 19 Apr India.Arie & Joss Stone: The Tivoli 20 Apr Jake Bugg: The Hi-Fi 23 Apr
Billy Bragg: The Tivoli 20 Mar
Ozomatli: The Zoo 23 Apr
Caspian: Tempo Hotel 20 Mar
Arctic Monkeys: BEC 7 May
GIG OF THE WEEK HOODOO GURUS: 26 JAN, EATONS HILL HOTEL
Steve Earle & The Dukes: The Tivoli 15 Apr
WED 22
THU 23
Gold Coast Comedy Club feat. various: The Loft, Chevron Island
DJ Turhan: Love Nightlife, Broadbeach
Black As Blue + Rise Overrun + Dead Zephyr: Black Bear Lodge, Fortitude Valley
Columbus + What We’re Worth + The Effects Of Boredom: Beetle Bar, Brisbane
Renae Suttie + Sean Flynn + OJ Newcomb: The Piano Bar, Maroochydore
Strings For Ammo: Mick O’Malley’s, Brisbane
Various DJs: Bourbon Bar, Surfers Paradise
Bandito Folk + Drawn From Bees + Dale Peachey: Black Bear Lodge, Fortitude Valley
Music Kitchen with Owen Van Larkins + System Trashed + The Unofficials + SIKNEsinsALVATION + more: The Tempo Hotel, Fortitude Valley
Avicii + Joel Fletcher + New World Sound: Riverstage, Brisbane
Jimmy Carr: City Hall, Brisbane Quennel Mott: Irish Murphy’s, Brisbane Open Mic Night feat. various: Mick O’Malley’s, Brisbane Campfire Test feat. My Fiction + Folklore + Amy Shark: New Globe Theatre, Fortitude Valley GrimSkunk + Skinwalkers: Ric’s, Fortitude Valley Venus Envy: Royal Exchange Hotel, Toowong Unplugged feat. various: The Elephant Arms, Fortitude Valley Open Mic Night feat. various: The Loft, Chevron Island Tempo Acoustic Session feat. Jye Whiteman + Ella Fence + Matt Duke: The Tempo Hotel, Fortitude Valley Central Street: The Vault, Southport Plastic Fangs + Sneeky Picnic + Brachio Radicals: The Zoo, Fortitude Valley DJ Daniel De Niro + Brent Dee: Vanity Nightclub, Surfers Paradise
Various DJs: Bourbon Bar, Surfers Paradise Peter Walters & The Itinerants: Brisbane Jazz Club, Kangaroo Point Matt Stillert: Cafe Le Monde, Noosa Backtrack + Iron Mind + The Others + The Struggle Suspect: Crowbar, Fortitude Valley
Frazer Goodman + friends: The Vault, Southport Glockenspiel + D-Wizz 2.0: The Zoo, Fortitude Valley
FRI 24
Electric Samurai: Irish Murphy’s, Brisbane
Latin Cave feat. various: 633 Ann, Fortitude Valley
Jam Session feat. various: JMI Live, Bowen Hills
The Cover Up: Albany Creek Tavern, Albany Creek
Eugene Ellison: Logan Diggers Club, Logan Central
Sun City: Alhambra Lounge, Fortitude Valley
Ballad Boy: Loving Hut, Mount Gravatt
Miss Elm + Go Go Fish + Hello St Louis! + Love Like Hate: Beetle Bar, Brisbane
Claim the Throne: Miami Tavern (Shark Bar), Miami Open Mic Night feat. various: Mick O’Malley’s, Brisbane The Dawn Chorus: Solbar, Maroochydore GrimSkunk: Surfers Paradise Beer Garden, Surfers Paradise
Little Odessa: Black Bear Lodge, Fortitude Valley Various DJs: Bourbon Bar, Surfers Paradise Trichotomy: Brisbane Jazz Club, Kangaroo Point The Dark Garden + Paul McDermott: Brisbane Powerhouse, New Farm
Jeff Carter: Royal Exchange Hotel (8.30pm), Toowong Tyney Charles: Royal Exchange Hotel (4pm), Toowong Madison Curve: Royal Mail Hotel, Goodna James: Saltbar, South Kingscliff Dane Adamo + Liam Bryant: Shady Palms, Stones Corner Pro Vita + Chase City + Tea Society: Solbar, Maroochydore Pacha Mamma + Andy JansBrown + Coz Mic + Felicity Lawless: Soundlounge, Currumbin The Piano Man: Southern Cross Tavern, Coolangatta Rohan + Boy Blue: The Crosstown Eating House, Woolloongabba Whole Lotta AC/DC: The Elephant Arms, Fortitude Valley The Veal: Late Night Comedy feat. various: The Hideaway, Fortitude Valley Kip Casper + Mar Haze + Aquila Young: The Loft, Chevron Island
Backtrack + Iron Mind + The Others + Restrictions + Sun Heights: Trinity Hall (all ages), Fortitude Valley Darren J Ray: Twin Towns, Tweed Heads Brent Dee + Jake Carmody: Vanity Nightclub, Surfers Paradise
SAT 25
Cookie Jar - Pre-Straya Day feat. various: 633 Ann, Fortitude Valley Tyrone Noonan: Albany Creek Tavern, Albany Creek Spitfireliar + Woolpit + Grieg: Beetle Bar, Brisbane No Diggity with DJ BeyOn-Ce + Melko: Black Bear Lodge, Fortitude Valley Various DJs: Bourbon Bar, Surfers Paradise Nicola Milan: Brisbane Jazz Club, Kangaroo Point The Dark Garden + Paul McDermott: Brisbane Powerhouse, New Farm DJ Nato: Cafe Le Monde, Noosa GrimSkunk + Skinwalkers + Hotel Escobar + The Seal Club + Gumby Foot: Commercial Hotel, Nambour
Ben UFO + Pearson Sound: The Tempo Hotel (Bowler Bar), Fortitude Valley
Thriller Traffic Light Party feat. various: Coniston Lane, Fortitude Valley
Be’Lakor + Claim the Throne: Crowbar, Fortitude Valley
Knights Of Columbus + Plan B: The Tempo Hotel, Fortitude Valley
The Butterfly Effect + Engine: Coolangatta Hotel, Coolangatta
Barry Charles: Grand Central Hotel, Brisbane
Diamond Dave: The Underdog, Fortitude Valley
Jabba + B-Rad: Irish Murphy’s, Brisbane
Jazz & Shriaz feat. various: The Vault (4pm), Southport
Jack Flash + Lunatics On Pogosticks + more: Grand Central Hotel, Brisbane
Sylk: Logan Diggers Club, Logan Central
Bec Whitehead: The Vault, Southport
Berst + Wasabi + Locky: Irish Murphy’s, Brisbane
Magnertron + The Vanguard Tic + Adnate + End Us: Chardons Corner Hotel, Annerley Michael Mayer: Coniston Lane, Fortitude Valley
1000S OF GIGS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS. FOR MORE HEAD TO THEMUSIC.COM.AU 50 • THE MUSIC • 22ND JANUARY 2014
Engine + The Given Things + Forever The Optimist + Far From Paris + Shadowgame: Transcontinental Hotel, Brisbane
Stafford Brothers: The Met, Fortitude Valley
DJ Pipeline Pedro: Cafe Le Monde, Noosa
YOU AM I: 26 JAN, EATONS HILL HOTEL
Arundel + This Mess: Ric’s, Fortitude Valley
Pludo + Tyrone Noonan + Night Time Fiona + Mallory Vanetti: The Zoo, Fortitude Valley
Havana Brown: Eatons Hill Hotel, Eatons Hill
the guide qld.gigguide@themusic.com.au
SUN 26
Ten Cents In Quebec + Agnes J Walker + more: Kings Beach, Caloundra 10 Cents in Quebec + guests: Kings Beach Tavern, Caloundra Black Magic: Logan Diggers Club, Logan Central DJ Turhan: Love Nightlife, Broadbeach OzFest feat. Birds of Tokyo + The Funkoars + Allday + Electric Horse + Lagerstein + Lunatics On Pogosticks: Miami Tavern, Miami Wasabi + Ger Fennelly: Mick O’Malley’s, Brisbane Bitch Pleeze + DLT Krew + Biotic + Keno: Prince of Wales Hotel, Nundah D.A. Calf + Matt Wicking + Guests: Red Star Music, Bowen Hills Blueskillet Rovers + Two Rivers Blues: Royal Mail Hotel, Goodna DJ Drew: Saltbar, South Kingscliff Electrik Lemonade + In2nation: Solbar, Maroochydore Electric Samurai: The Elephant Arms, Fortitude Valley Headhunterz: The Hi-Fi, West End Mercury Sun + Underwood Mayne + The Ellie May Band + Strings For Ammo: The Loft, Chevron Island Uberjak’d: The Met, Fortitude Valley Freethought + Weightless In Orbit + Spherian + Brooksy & Co: The Tempo Hotel, Fortitude Valley Various DJs: The Tempo Hotel (Bowler Bar), Fortitude Valley Wayne Foster: The Vault, Southport House Of Giants + Midwest + Harlequin: The Waiting Room, West End The Mistaeks + Tora + Pack Animals: The Zoo, Fortitude Valley Stevie Z + Jake Carmody: Vanity Nightclub, Surfers Paradise
Strange Yonder Lodge Party with Tsun + The Furrs + The Ottomans + Salvadarlings: Black Bear Lodge, Fortitude Valley D.A. Calf + Matt Wicking + guests: Bon Amici Wine Bar, Toowoomba Dave Maquire + Andrew Johnson + Friends: Brisbane Jazz Club (10am), Kangaroo Point Funk Factory Big Band: Brisbane Jazz Club (6pm), Kangaroo Point Band of Frequencies + DJ Jahzen: Cafe Le Monde, Noosa North Coast Rock ‘n’ Blues 2014 feat. Mason Rack Band + Asa Broomhall + Devils Kiosk + Cleveland Blues + Bluesville Station + Tongue Tied Thieves + Michael Morgan: Caloundra Power Boat Club (Pelicans Room), Golden Beach Sizzle Festival with Thumping Bumjoys + The Pretty Fingers + Le Murd + Red Tendrils + The Unprettier + Eat City + more: Club Greenslopes (12pm), Greenslopes Australia Day Party 2014 feat. Antagonist AD + Deciever + Greenstreet + Vitals: Coniston Lane, Fortitude Valley Elbury + Seafarer: Dowse Bar (Iceworks), Paddington Hoodoo Gurus + You Am I + Busby Marou + Jebediah + Good Oak + Nat Dunn: Eatons Hill Hotel, Eatons Hill The John Steel Singers + The Dawn Chorus + Tea Society + Barry Charles & The Deeper Beat: Eumundi Ampitheatre (1pm), Eumundi OzFest feat. Birds of Tokyo + The Funkoars + Electric Horse + The Cairos + Blonde on Blonde + Oceanics: Hamilton Hotel, Hamilton Australia Day Party 2014 feat. Berst: Irish Murphy’s, Brisbane Jack O’Leary + Ragdoll: Irish Murphy’s (12pm), Brisbane Jake Whittaker: Jubilee Hotel, Fortitude Valley Danny Daze: Laruche, Fortitude Valley
FLANNELETTE: 26 JAN, THE ZOO
Musique: Logan Diggers Club, Logan Central
Jess Rose: The Met, Fortitude Valley
Strings For Ammo + Sasta + Ger Fennelly: Mick O’Malley’s, Brisbane
Australia Day Celebration with Skye Marsh + Tusk + Sneaky Mojo + Junkyard Diamonds + Summer Daze: The Tempo Hotel, Fortitude Valley
Jacques Renault + Medlar: Oh Hello!, Fortitude Valley Funkagenda: Platinum Nightclub (Shuffle), Broadbeach Monster Guitars feat. Adam Hole & Mark Easton + My Current Addiction + Matt Harris Band: Pomona Hotel, Pomona GrimSkunk + Goldstool + Cash 4 Kaos + Why The Face: Prince of Wales Hotel, Nundah Barbie On The Green with Double Lined Minority + MC Maximo + Lecia & Lani + Josh Lovegrove + Benny D Williams + Jackson James Smith + Bambini + Hussy Hicks + Cody Butler: QPAC (Melbourne Street Green/12pm), Southbank Chester: Royal Exchange Hotel (6pm), Toowong Nathan Bruen Duo: Royal Exchange Hotel (1.30pm), Toowong Southern Booze Camp: Royal Mail Hotel, Goodna Jon Bradley: Saltbar, South Kingscliff Hottest 100 Party feat. various: Solbar, Maroochydore The Loveless Union + Big Iron: The Bearded Lady, West End
SUN CITY: 24 JAN, ALHAMBRA LOUNGE
Bovver Rock Summer Jamboree ‘14 with Mouthguard + Outrage + Plan Of Attack + Shandy + Wilful Damage + Sick x People: The Underdog, Fortitude Valley DJ Daniel De Niro + Jake Carmody: Vanity Nightclub, Surfers Paradise
MON 27
Rob Hackwood Duo: Irish Murphy’s, Brisbane Rockaoke feat. various: The Tempo Hotel, Fortitude Valley
TUE 28
Woody Lives Here: Irish Murphy’s, Brisbane
Jumping Fences + The Getano Bann Trio: New Farm Bowls Club, New Farm Mark Sheils: Samford Valley Hotel, Samford Valley Gordi: The End, West End Comedy Night feat. various: The Vault, Southport
Cub Sport + Millions + Major Leagues + Lunatics On Pogosticks: The Elephant Arms, Fortitude Valley
1000S OF GIGS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS. FOR MORE HEAD TO THEMUSIC.COM.AU THE MUSIC • 22ND JANUARY 2014 • 51
tour guide qld.gigguide@themusic.com.au
INTERNATIONAL GrimSkunk: Ric’s Bar 22 Jan, Surfers Paradise Beer Garden 23 Jan, Tatts Hotel 24 Jan, Commercial Hotel 25 Jan, Prince Of Wales Hotel 26 Jan
Wire: The Zoo 19 Feb
D At Sea: Solbar 27 Feb, The Loft 28 Feb, Crowbar 1 Mar
Eminem: Suncorp Stadium 20 Feb
Wil Wagner: The Spotted Cow 27 Feb, Crowbar 28 Feb, Sun Distortion 1 Mar (AA), The Time Machine 2 Mar (AA)
Clutch: The Zoo 21 Feb Skream: Bowler Bar 21 Feb
Mother’s Cake: Beetle Bar 22 Feb
Caravãna Sun: Beach Hotel 28 Feb, Solbar 1 Mar, Brunswick Heads Hotel 2 Mar
Lemuria: Snitch 30 Jan
Eddie Vedder: QPAC 22, 23 Feb
Lior: Old Museum 6 Mar
Ken Stringfellow, Chris Stamey: Black Bear Lodge 30 Jan
Singer Mali: Dowse Bar 23 Feb Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band: BEC 26 Feb
The Holidays: Elsewhere 6 Mar, The Zoo 7 Mar, The Spotted Cow 8 Mar
The Wonder Stuff: The Zoo 27 Feb
Christine Anu: Southport RSL 7 Mar, Old Museum 8 Mar
Madeleine Peyroux: The Tivoli 28 Feb
Frenzal Rhomb: Coolangatta Hotel 7 Mar, The Hi-Fi 8 Mar
Funkagenda: Ellement Lounge (day) and Shuffle (night) 26 Jan
Periphery: The Hi-Fi 31 Jan Groundation: The Hi-Fi 4 Feb The Locust: Crowbar 5 Feb Selena Gomez: BCEC 6 Feb DJ Shadow: Family 7 Feb
Dolly Parton: BEC 21, 22 Feb
Dash Berlin: Family 9 Feb
Mango Groove: Eatons Hill Hotel 1 Mar
Jeff Martin: Black Bear Lodge 9 Feb
Brian McKnight: QPAC 2 Mar
The National: Riverstage 11 Feb Ed Kowalczyk: The Tivoli 12 Feb Devin The Dude: Coniston Lane 12 Feb Ben Pearce: Bowler Bar 15 Feb
KYLESA: 2 APR, THE HI-FI
Six60: The Hi-Fi 2 Mar
Suzanne Vega, Seth Lakeman: Brisbane Powerhouse 15 Apr
Charles Bradley: The Hi-Fi 4 Mar
Steve Earle & The Dukes: The Tivoli 15 Apr
Mikhael Paskalev: Alhambra Lounge 4 Mar
Allen Stone: The Zoo 16 Apr
Neko Case: The Hi-Fi 5 Mar
Kris Kristofferson: Lismore Workers Club 16 Apr, Empire Theatre 17 Apr, QPAC 18 Apr, Jupiters Theatre 19 Apr
Neil Finn: Nambour Civic Centre 6 Mar, QPAC 7 Mar Bruno Mars: BEC 7 Mar Public Enemy: The Hi-Fi 7 Mar Lionel Ritchie: BEC 10 Mar Yo La Tengo: The Zoo 11 Mar
The Wailers: The Tivoli 16 Apr
KC & The Sunshine Band: The Tivoli 19 Apr India Arie, Joss Stone: The Tivoli 20 Apr
Gretchen Wilson: Eatons Hill Hotel 13 Mar
Ozomatli: The Zoo 23 Apr
Iced Earth: The Hi-Fi 14 Mar
Toxic Holocaust, Skeletonwitch: The Hi-Fi 24 Apr
Toby Keith: BEC 14 Mar
Jake Bugg: The Hi-Fi 23 Apr
Queens of the Stone Age, Nine Inch Nails: BEC 17 Mar
Skid Row, Ugly Kid Joe: Eatons Hill Hotel 26 Apr
Martha Davis & The Motels: New Globe Theatre 19 Mar
KT Tunstall: The Zoo 30 Apr
Baths: Alhambra Lounge 20 Mar
Arctic Monkeys: BEC 7 May
Caspian: The Tempo Hotel 20 Mar
Michael Buble: BEC 12 May
Billy Bragg: The Tivoli 20 Mar, The Northern 21 Mar
Jason Derulo: BEC 5 May
Fleshgod Apocalypse: The Hi-Fi 14 May
Gang Of Four: The Hi-Fi 22 Mar
The English Beat: The Zoo 18 May
Jurassic 5: Eatons Hill Hotel 22 Mar
We Are Scientists: The Zoo 29 May
Sebadoh: The Zoo 23 Mar
James Blunt: BCEC 2 Jun
Absu: Crowbar 23 Mar
Armin van Buuren: BEC 4 Jun
Thirty Seconds To Mars, White Lies: Brisbane Riverstage 30 Mar (AA)
Ellie Goulding: BCEC 5 Jun (AA)
Kodaline: The Hi-Fi 1 Apr
Bastille: BCEC 13 Jun (AA) Finntroll: The Zoo 18 Jun
NATIONAL Hoodoo Gurus, You Am I, Jebediah: Eatons Hill Hotel 26 Jan
Sunnyboys: The Northern 14, 15 Mar, The Tivoli 28 Mar
Lachlan Bryan & The Wildes: Lefty’s Music Hall 1 Feb Hunters & Collectors: Sirromet Wines 2 Feb Miami Horror: Oh Hello! 7 Feb REMi: Coniston Lane 7 Feb The Necks: Byron Bay Community Centre 7 Feb, Brisbane Powerhouse 8 Feb Oliver Tank: The Zoo 8 Feb Pigeon: Alhambra Lounge 8 Feb Sarah McLeod: Black Bear Lodge 9 Feb The Aston Shuffle: Oh Hello! 13 Feb, Elsewhere 14 Feb, Solbar 15 Feb, Byron Bay Brewery 16 Feb World’s End Press: Black Bear Lodge 14 Feb Rick Price: Brisbane Jazz Club 14 Feb, Gold Coast Arts Centre 15 Feb The Bennies: The Spotted Cow 14 Feb, Crowbar 15 Feb, The Time Machine 16 Feb Josh Pyke: Old Museum 15 Feb The Angels: Harrigan’s Drift Inn 15 Feb, Caloundra RSL 28 Mar, Coolangatta Hotel 29 Mar Pete Murray: Villa Noosa 20 Feb, Twin Towns 21 Feb, The Tivoli 22 Feb, Redland Bay Hotel 23 Feb
A$AP Ferg: The Hi-Fi 3 Apr
The Crimson Projekct: The Hi-Fi 28 Jun
Kerser: The Hi-Fi 22 Feb (AA and 18+)
3 Inches Of Blood: Crowbar 10 Apr
Andrew Strong: The Commitments: The Tivoli 25 Jul
The Kite String Tangle: The Zoo 22 Feb
1000S OF GIGS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS. FOR MORE HEAD TO THEMUSIC.COM.AU 52 • THE MUSIC • 22ND JANUARY 2014
John Farnham: BEC 10 Mar The Smith Street Band: The Zoo 14 Mar
The John Steel Singers, Jeremy Neale: Black Bear Lodge 20, 21 Feb
Kylesa: The Hi-Fi 2 Apr
Dan Sultan: The Zoo 8 Mar
Sun City: Alhambra Lounge 24 Jan
Dragon: Kedron Wavell Services Club 20 Jun, Twin Towns 21 Jun
The Rolling Stones: Brisbane Entertainment Centre 2 Apr
Elizabeth Rose: Alhambra Lounge 8 Mar
Baby Animals: Eatons Hill Hotel 14 Mar, Coolangatta Hotel 15 Mar, Racehorse Hotel 4 Apr, Alexandra Hills Hotel 5 Apr Illy: The Zoo 15 Mar Luca Brasi, Postblue: Crowbar 22 Mar, The Lab 23 Mar (AA) Jimmy Barnes: Sirromet Wines 30 Mar Kate Miller-Heidke: The Tivoli 5 Apr Boy & Bear: Sunshine Coast Function Centre 26 Apr, Empire Theatre 27 Apr, Lismore Workers Club 14 May The Presets, Australian Chamber Orchestra: QPAC 26 May Keith Urban: BEC 17 Jun
FESTIVALS Laneway Festival: RNA Showgrounds 31 Jan Soundwave: RNA Showgrounds 22 Feb Good Life: RNA Showgrounds 28 Feb Bluesfest: Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm 17-21 Apr Easterfest: Queens Park 18-20 Apr Groovin’ The Moo: Townsville Cricket Grounds 4 May Hits & Pits Round 3: The Hi-Fi 9 May, The Northern 10 May
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THE MUSIC • 15TH JANUARY 2014 • 53
the end
FESTIVAL FAUX PAS
PARTYING BEFORE THE PARTY WHO DAT?
Usually the teenager attending their first festival. Also known to occasionally affect veterans.
DISTINGUISHING FEATURES Lack of walking and talking ability. Trail of vomit. Sweating bullets.
HIGHLIGHTS Breakfast beers at 7am. Breakfast shots at 7.01am.
LOWLIGHTS Walking the furry minefield, aka sniffer dogs at the gate. Passing out before noon.
THE MORNING AFTER Best day of all time. Counting seconds until next year’s festival.
PORTALOO HOOK-UPS WHO DAT?
Randy pair of singles that didn’t know each other two hours beforehand.
DISTINGUISHING FEATURES Singlet/shirtless. Singlet/bikini top. Sunglasses on at all times. Condom in pocket.
HIGHLIGHTS Bumping and grinding in front of the kebab stall. Messy first pash.
LOWLIGHTS Pretty much everything post-entering the toilet.
THE MORNING AFTER A thorough scan through the phone to delete any new numbers. Many showers.
MUD SLINGER WHO DAT?
The person who thinks it’s Woodstock ’94 all over again and it’s time to ‘get free’.
DISTINGUISHING FEATURES Coated head-to-toe in brown filth. Deranged look in barely visible eyes.
HIGHLIGHTS Getting a small cheer after doing a belly slide into the mud pit.
LOWLIGHTS Getting decked after slinging mud at the wrong person.
THE MORNING AFTER Scratching dry mud from beneath fingernails. Putrid smell remains.
54 • THE MUSIC • 22ND JANUARY 2014
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56 • THE MUSIC • 22ND JANUARY 2014